Pulse: Season One
by LVCEBREROS
Summary: Freddie Benson will begin college and, after a shocking series of events, will become a crime fighting superhero known as Pulse. This show is kind of a spin off TV series of my creation. Several OCCs as well as a few familiar faces. I hope everyone likes it! There may be some SEDDIE in the future! Stay tuned :P
1. Episode One: Tempest (Part One)

**Author's Note:** Okay, let me start by saying that I am writing this story sort of as a spin-off of iCarly but it's a bit different. It's an action/adventure type of story which follows the tone of hour long TV drama (not that it's gonna take an hour to read or anything but it follows that tone.) The first and second chapter will basically act as the pilot for the series.

I loved iCarly but I want do something fun and different than most iCarly fan fiction that I've read. Something that I hope will make my story stand out a bit by incorporating several different elements to it.

One of my inspirations is Spider-Man, more specially the 2012 film The Amazing Spider-Man. I loved that movie and there are a lot of ideas that are borrowed from the film as it relates to the "superhero origin story".

If you're reading this and end up saying "Hey, that's like [fill in your certain comic superhero here]", I hope it's a good homage or at least mildly tolerable. Last thing I'd want is to disappoint people.

I really hope everyone likes it. Please review and be kind. I hope everyone makes it to the end!

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for the originally created characters. These are some of Dan Schneider's toys. I'm just playing with them. I promise to give them back unscathed - well mildly unscathed.

Also, there may be some mild language and adult situations. So basically this story is rated PG-13.

•••

"A hero is no braver than ordinary man, but he is braver five minutes longer"

Ralph Waldo Emerson

•••

A figure wearing a hooded jacket laid on the floor of a nearly destroyed laboratory. His exposes hands were raw, cut up and bloody. This individual had been in a brutal fight... a fight for his life.

In the lab, everything that wasn't nailed down was either scattered around the room or was in pieces. The most of the florescent lights in the room flicker as one of the lights hangs down from the ceiling, hanging on by the thread but the wire snaps and falls down. He manages to rolls out of the way with lightning fast reflexes. He breathes heavily as he tries to get to his feet but falls down on his left knee and catches himself with his right arm to keep from falling down.

The figure slowly got to his feet, his body racked with sheer agony. He grabs his ribs with his left arm and lets out a few deep breaths. He may have cracked some ribs or maybe even collapsed a lung.

So, this is the way I'm going to die. I have to admit, didn't picture it ending this way.

A person in a long dingy lab coat that had more than a few drops of blood on it stood a few feet away from the mysterious figure. The man in the lab coat laughed maniacally in a low tone in his voice that sounded completely off.

"Are you ready to give up?" The man in the lab coat asked. "Or do you wish to continue this foolish and pointless experiment at chivalry?"

I never could've imagined what has happened to me recently. It's all been like some surreal dream... Or waking nightmare. Depends on who you ask.

The hooded figure lifted his head high. Defiantly refusing to give up without uttering a single word. He was someone who no one would've expected to be a hero, not those who thought they knew it. The figure is Freddie Benson, a deep gash was on his forehead near his hairline and a trickle of blood coming from the corner of his mouth.

My name is Freddie Benson. And I am going to save the world...

But I believe I am getting a bit ahead of myself. So let me start at the beginning.

•••

Two Weeks Ago

Fredward 'Freddie' Benson sat on a plane filled with people, wearing a black long sleeved button up shirt with the sleeves rolls up at his elbows and dark jeans. The sound of a crying baby a few rows back awoke him from the nap he had taken since the on-flight movie. It was some sappy romantic comedy with some A-list actress who's named escaped him. It made that mock trailer for 'Kelly Cooper: Terrible Movie' look like the award winning film Silver Linings' Playbook.

There he went, thinking about iCarly. The web-show that made his closest friends Carly Shay and Sam Puckett famous. Now he was thinking about her... again.

After Carly left Seattle to live with her dad in Italy, Sam hopped on her motorcycle and went to Los Angeles. She wasn't coming back and Freddie knew it. A part of him hoped she'd return but knew Sam wasn't one to do what people expected her to, something he always loved about her.

Her fearlessness.

Freddie wanted to be as brave as she is and this was his first step at throwing caution to the wind.

As he was finishing high school, Freddie had won a full scholarship to New York City College of Technology (City Tech for short). He would be attending college in the greatest city in the world.

Something that didn't sit well with his mother. Marissa Benson was quite upset when she learned her only child would be going to college on the other side of the country. She tried extremely hard to get him to attend a school in Seattle and poured on the melodrama by telling him that Freddie was abandoning her like his father did.

After three months of trying, Freddie managed to finally convince her by telling her that it'd be a great opportunity for him and gave her his own guilt trip by saying she was keeping him from being the man who would make her proud. Freddie understood that his mom meant well but he needed to leave the nest to see what kind of man he was... Who he was supposed to be.

All of a sudden, the captain speaks over the intercom. "Folks, we are making our descent into JFK. Welcome to New York City."

Freddie looks out the window of the plane and sees famous skyline of the Big Apple. The last time he was here, he and his friends were appearing on 'Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.' The trip wasn't all bad. Except the part where Gibby exposed himself in front of America. That could've been the one thing that Freddie would like to forget.

Freddie would be living in New York City now. Well technically Brooklyn which is where City Tech was located and so was student housing - an old hotel that had been converted into lodging for students. He made sure he got a room before occupancy filled up. If he had not gotten a room, Freddie had another back up living arrangement in mind.

One of the conditions his mother had established so she'd allow Freddie to go to City Tech was for his aunt, Cassandra Sinclair to look out for him while he was going to school.

Freddie didn't know that much about Cassandra Sinclair except that she was his dad's younger sister and that the last time she visited him and Marissa was when he was two. Recently, he had spoken to Cassandra over the phone to make the proper arrangements. She seemed really nice. Very down to earth. He wanted to video chat with her but his mom wasn't okay with the fact that he was talking to his dad's sister so he never attempted to do so. Meeting her face to face would be a great way for Freddie to get to know someone on his father's side of the family.

•••

Freddie was collecting his two large duffel bags from baggage claim with his laptop bag draped over his shoulder. His mom managed to pack most his clothes and a few of his belongings to make his living quarters feel more like home. It seems like she had his entire closet because the two bags weighed about as much as he did. The weight wasn't that much of an issue, he used to weight train with Gibby at the gym do he could bench press about 220 pounds but it took him almost four months to pull that off.

Freddie looked around the airport for any sign of his Aunt Cassandra. The last time he saw her, she was a teenager sixteen years ago. All that he knew that she had red hair and blue eyes. The red hair would be easy to spot but she could've dyed her hair since than. Who knows.

"You need a hand there, kiddo?"

Freddie looks around and sees a beautiful thirty two year old woman standing a few feet away from him. This was Cassandra Sinclair. She had long red hair and deep blue eyes that had a look of someone who has seen quite a bit in her life. She wore a tan colored leather jacket over a white button up top with tight black pants and dark brown high heeled boots. She looked like she could've stepped out of the pages of a comic book - she looked intense. However the intensity mildly melts away as she smiles brightly at Freddie.

"You must be my Aunt Cassandra?" Freddie asked with a bit of grin on his face.

She walks over to Freddie and gives him a strong hug which threw him for a second. "How many times do I have to tell you?" She told him. "Call me Cassie. Only my parents called me Cassandra ... them or process servers serving me with a subpoena."

Freddie lets out a chuckle as she begins to take one of his bags. "No, it's fine. You don't have-"

"I insist. Not trying to hurt your male pride or anything, I just wanna help." Cassie said as she straps the bag over her shoulder.

Freddie sighs not wanting to argue with his aunt. Something about her reminded him of someone.

"So, how was your flight?" Cassie asked.

Freddie shakes his head, smiling. "Really? That's the first thing you're going to ask me?"

"It's basically the first thing you gotta ask somebody after they get off a plane." she replied. "I think it's required etiquette."

"Well it wasn't as bad as the last time I flew." Freddie told his aunt. "Least I didn't have someone cuddling up next to me and using my shoulder as a pillow."

"Oh I sure you didn't mind having one of those girls snuggling up next to you." Cassie replied with a mischievous tone.

"Actually Sam and Carly were sitting in the row behind me with Carly's brother Spencer." Freddie told her. "I was actually... sitting next to Gibby."

Cassie snickered a bit at that. "There's seriously something off about that guy."

"You don't know the half of it." Freddie said as Cassie continued laughing.

The two walked out of the airport as Freddie was about to try to motion for a taxi when Cassie grabs his halfway raised hand and lowers it. "Whoa, you're gonna try hail a cab at an airport? In the middle of the day? You've have better luck trying to fight a Bengal tiger than arguing with some business exec trying to make a morning meeting." She told him. "At least with the tiger, losing a limb is an expected outcome."

"You have a ride?" Freddie asked.

Cassie grins and motions for him to follow her to the parking lot. They continue walking until Cassie stops in front of a fully restored black 1967 four-door Chevy Impala. The paint on the car was shiny and the sun glistened off it. The car was a beautiful piece of machinery. Freddie wasn't a car guy really. Not that he didn't know how to drive. Spencer had taught him to do so but his mom didn't allow him to get a license. There was something he wasn't going to miss about his mom.

"Is this your car?" Freddie asked, awe struck.

"Yep. I call her Black Beauty." Cassie said beaming with pride as she opens the trunk and puts the bag she had been carrying inside the trunk.

"You named your car after a horse from a book?" he asked as he places the other bag in the trunk.

"Uh, no. She's named after the Green Hornet's car." Cassie said as she slams the trunk shut. She looked back at Freddie who appeared to be confused. "Before your time."

"I know who the Green Hornet, I've seen that movie with Seth Rogan." Freddie said as Cassie gave a look of mild disappointment. Part of him wasn't proud of mentioning that film because he assumed she probably didn't like it. "Besides isn't that show technically it's before your time too."

"I actually used to watch reruns of the show when I was growing up. I'd watch them with my dad and-" she stops and changes the subject and goes to unlock the passenger side door. "Um, are you hungry? 'Cause I'm starved-"

"It's okay. You can talk about my dad. I don't mind." He said in a mature sounding tone.

"Okay. Good." Cassie said as he opens the door and gets inside the car while Cassie goes to the driver's side, unlocks her door and gets in as well. "You know, I wasn't just asking if you were hungry to change the subject."

"Actually I am. The only thing I've eaten are those honey glazed peanuts they give you during the flight." he told Cassie as he buckled his seat belt. "The in-flight meal looked like it wanted to crawl off the tray and try to latch on to my face."

Cassie laughed as she fastened her seatbelt. "I had no idea they were serving Xenomorphs on commercial airlines."

"I could've sworn I ordered chicken, not facehugger" He replied which made Cassie laugh even more.

Cassie managed to stop laughing to say. "I know this great Italian place. Has some of the best pie in all the five Burroughs. It's right across the street from my apartment."

"Vamonos!" Freddie said in one of his well-known outbursts in Spanish, which threw Cassie for a second as she started the car and drove out of the parking lot.

•••

Cassie and Freddie walk into a quaint Italian restaurant called Luzoni's which was was busy because it was the lunch rush. Cassie looks around and sees and empty table. "There's a free table." She walks towards it as Freddie watches.

"Are we allowed to seat ourselves?" Freddie asked as he reluctantly follows her.

"At this time of day, it's first come first serve." Cassie said as they sit down. A young waitress walks over to their table. She was a Filipino-American girl around Freddie's age. She had long jet black hair that was tied back in a ponytail and deep brown eyes but she also had a sweet and pleasant demeanor. A happy-go-lucky attitude that was infectious. Her name tag read 'Millie'.

"Hey there, Cass." Millie replied with a smile. "How's it going?"

"Couldn't be better, Mills." Cassie replied with a smile. See, infectious. If good cheer was a airborne virus, Millie would be Patient Zero.

"Who's your friend?" Millie asked as she looked at Freddie and began to stare at him. She knew him from somewhere.

"Oh, this is my nephew Freddie Benson." Cassie said as she introduced him.

Freddie looks up at Millie who stares at him, wide eyed, as she cups her right hand to her mouth. "Oh my gosh. Do-do you know who you are?" Millie asked nervously.

"I think so." Freddie said sheepishly, playing dumb.

"You're Freddie from iCarly. I used to love that show. I am such a huge fan." Millie said with pure glee but she tried to calm down. "Sorry, I'm starting to sound like some weirdo fan."

"No, believe me. I've seen weirder fans." Freddie replied, remembering his and his friends's experiences with Nora Dershlit and to a lesser extent the fan war the gang accidentally started at Webicon.

"I'm Millicent Flores but everybody calls me Millie." She said with a nervous giggle. "And I should probably take your order."

"Sounds like a plan, Mills." Cassie replied as she tried to make things less awkward. "We'll have one Pepperoni pizza and a pitcher of Root Beer."

"Coming right up." Millie said, writing down the order. She looks back at Freddie and beams brightly which causes Freddie to blush.

Cassie stares at Freddie. "She seems to like you."

"Yeah because she's a fan of iCarly. That's all." Freddie said frankly. He lets out a sigh and looks at Cassie. "So..."

Cassie glances at him. "Go ahead. Ask me whatever it is you want to know. I'm an open book."

"All right, what do you do for a living?" he asked.

"Well, I'm a private investigator." She retorts.

"No way!" Freddie stated. "Seriously?"

"It's true. Granted, it isn't as glamorous as they make it out to be in the movies. I basically follow people around to makes sure people aren't doing something they shouldn't be doing." She replied. "I'm usually hired by wealthy women to find out if their husbands are having affairs with other women. Nine times out of ten, they are. And they say love is dead, right?"

Freddie was dumbfounded. "Do you make a lot of money from it?"

"It usually depends on the client but I do make a sizable amount of cash. Enough to live comfortably, especially in this economy." She stated.

Freddie nods as Millie came back to the table with the pitcher of Root Beer and two glasses. "All right guys, your pizza should be ready shortly. Just let me know if you need anything."

"Thanks again, Millie." Cassie said. "How's your dad doing?"

"He's good. Busy, I mean it makes sense. Being a NYPD detective is a thankless job but he's totally devoted to it and I proud of him for that Millie replied. She looks at Freddie. "Um, are you in town just to visit or something?"

"Actually I'm going to school in the city." He answered.

"Let me guess... NYU?" Millie guessed.

"Nope. I'm gonna be attending the New York City College of Technology." Freddie told her.

"Shut the fridge! You're going to City Tech?" Millie said with giddy enthusiasm which caught Freddie off guard but made Cassie laugh. "I'm going to City Tech too."

"Really? What are you studying?" Freddie asked.

"I'm gonna be a part of City Tech's nursing program." Millie told him. "This job is going to help me pay for most of my expenses. Not that I don't like working here. Mr Luzoni is such an awesome boss and I get to meet interesting new people, like a certain Internet celebrity." Again Freddie was blushing. "Let me go see if your pizza's ready."

Millie walks off and Cassie looks at Freddie. "Oh yeah, she SO wants you."

Freddie just shakes his head and takes a drink from his glass of Root Beer. "She's sweet but-"

"Not your type? You don't like nice girls?" She asked.

"Please, I spent most of my adolescence pining after the ultimate nice girl." He said, of course referring to Carly. "I just have to focus on school. I can't have my heart broken again."

"This because of Sam?" Freddie looks up at his aunt. "I'm a private eye, I pay attention to detail. Your bottom lip twitched when Millie mentioned iCarly. You miss it. You miss her."

"I guess it's hard to hide things from you, huh?" He replied as she touches his hand gives him a sympathetic stare. "Those were the best times of my life but need to see that there's more to my life than being the technical producer of iCarly. I'm sure it'll probably open some doors for me later on. I just want to know if there is more to me than that. What kind of man I'm becoming." Freddie gives Cassie a small smile. "Sounds pretty silly, doesn't it?"

"Nah, you actually sound like me at your age." Cassie replied. "You're at a crossroads, not sure where to go. Believe me, I've been there. You just got to see moments as opportunities. You know, my parents weren't exactly what most people would call ideal but once in a while they had decent advice and my dad used to say that in life you just have to play the hand that you're dealt."

"Sounds like sound advice." Freddie retorts as Millie returned to the table with their pizza.

"All righty, you need anything else don't be shy to ask." Millie said.

"Thanks, Millie." Cassie said as she began to leave but Freddie spoke up.

"Millie, wait up!"

Millie stops and turns around, walking back over to the table.

"I was wondering if you would like to meet on campus and hang out." Freddie said as Millie smiles brightly while Cassie took a slice of pizza and put it on a plate. She watched the exchange with a big smile on her face. "I mean, we're both freshmen. Might be nice to be around a friendly face."

"That'd be awesome!" Millie replied with pure elation. "I'll- uh- meet you in front of the campus book store?"

"Sounds like a plan." Freddie answered as Millie walked with a spring in her step.

Freddie looks up at Cassie and sees a bit of a smile on her face as she chewed a bite of pizza. "What?"

"That could not have been more adorable if you were holding a teddy bear and a puppy." Cassie said as she wipes her mouth with a napkin.

Freddie smiles as he takes a pizza while Cassie serves herself more root beer. "Figure I should start living the moment, don't you think?"

Cassie holds up her glass for a toast. "There's no harm in a little bit of Carpe Diem."

Freddie grins as he clinks his glass with hers.

•••

Freddie and Cassie left Luzoni's and begin to walk across the street. "You sure you don't mind me crashing at your place? I could check into a motel until I move into my dorm."

"Don't you dare! I want to spend more time with my nephew. We have sixteen years of catching up to do." Cassie insisted as they let a car pass. "Besides, if I were to let you check into a motel, your mom would kill me and that woman terrifies me" Freddie chuckles as Cassie helps him get his bags out of her car. "So one night of you sleeping on my pull-out isn't a big deal."

"Well I just assumed a woman your age would have a life?" Freddie said as she gave him a look. "Not saying you don't have a life. I'm just saying that a person your age would married with at least one kid."

"I know." Cassie replied as she slams the trunk. "It's a personal and I'm dealing with it, my way."

"Fair enough, Ol Blue Eyes." Freddie said as Cassie just smirks.

Suddenly a woman on the street yells "Hey! Help! Somebody stop him! He's got my purse!"

Freddie and Cassie look behind them and see a guy wearing a beanie running with a woman's plum colored purse in his hands. Cassie grabs one of Freddie's duffel bag and swings it as the purse snatcher runs by and hits the guy with the bag, causing the purse snatcher to fall on his back and drop the purse.

Cassie grabs the purse and tosses it to Freddie who barely catches it. "Hold on to that for me."

A few people gather around while the purse snatcher yells in pain from the ground "Give that back! That's mine!"

"Really 'cause it SO doesn't match with your shoes?" Cassie quips as he got to his feet. The purse snatcher goes to try take the purse from Freddie but Cassie pushes him back. He goes on the attack by throwing a few punches that Cassie dodges with ease as she grabs his left arm and pins it behind his back. "That all you got, wazz-bag?"

The purse snatcher manages to get his arm free and tries to backhand Cassie but she ducks out of the way. He tries to attack her again only have Cassie deliver a well placed right roundhouse kick to his face. This causes the purse snatcher to be knocked for a loop and fall to the ground, stunning the crowd and Freddie.

At that moment, a police officer and the woman who owns the purse to break through the crowd of people and see the purse snatcher on the ground, moaning in pain, as Cassie stood over him and Freddie was holding the woman's purse.

"I take it this was your handiwork, Sinclair?" The police officer asked Cassie as he lifted the purse snatcher off the ground. Cassie just shrugs as he turns the purse snatcher to face the woman. "Is this the man who stole your purse?"

"Yes Officer, that's him." The woman said.

The officer began to handcuff the purse snatcher while reading him his Miranda Rights. Freddie walks over to the woman and gives her back her purse. She smiles at him as Cassie looks at Freddie.

He gives his aunt a look of utter disbelief.

•••

"How did you do that?" Freddie asked while he sat in Cassie's living room on her couch. Cassie's place was a small studio apartment with a small kitchen area and one bedroom. It was clean and tidy but not overly so.

Freddie had his new Pearbook placed in front of him on her coffee table.

Cassie was in her kitchen, pouring herself a cup of hot tea into a white mug with a Wonder Woman symbol on it. "I'm a single woman living in New York, self defense is like mandate."

"Have you done that before?" He asked as Cassie walks into the living room sitting on a chair next to him. "That cop looked at you like that wasn't the first time you've done that?"

"Well Fredward, let's just say it isn't my first rodeo." She said, drinking her tea. Before he could say anything, Freddie's Pearbook chimes. "What's up?"

"Someone's requesting a video chat." Freddie informed her.

"Who is it?" She asked.

Freddie smiles as he clicks to confirm the chat.

"Gibbehhh!"

It was indeed one of Freddie's close friend - Orenthal Cornelius Hayes Gibson, known to everyone as Gibby.

"Hey Gib, how's it going?" Freddie asked.

"Awesome! Just settling into UDub." Gibby told him.

Freddie was happy that his friend got into the University of Washington. Surprisingly, a lot of colleges wanted Gibby to go their institution, including Stanford, which surprised everyone. Gibby chose to go to UW to be close with his family.

"You already moved into your dorm?" Freddie asked as Cassie finished her tea and walks back into kitchen and place her mug in the sink.

"Yep. Even met my roommate. The guy is such a weirdo." Gibby told him which made Freddie chuckle quietly. "The guy is majoring in astrophysics. I mean who wants to study Astros, whatever those are?"

"Gib, I think astrophysics has to do with-" Freddie began when Gibby notices Cassie.

"Hey, who's the saucy señorita there with you?" Gibby asked, referring to Cassie.

"Oh- Gibby, this is Cassie Sinclair." Freddie replied as Cassie bends down next to Freddie.

"Hi, Gibby, right?" Cassie said.

"Hey." Gibby said, deepening his voice. "Would it be wrong of me to say you are one foxy lady?"

"It would be seeing as Cassie's my aunt." Freddie replied as Cassie looks embarrassed.

"Yeah right! None of your relatives are THIS attractive!" Gibby told him which made Cassie laugh. "I mean, you've shown me pictures your cousin Amanda."

Freddie cringes at the thought of his gross relative. "Cassie is actually my aunt from my dad's side of the family."

"Oh." Gibby replied. "She's still hot though."

"Dude!" Freddie yelled and Cassie laughed again.

"It's all right. It's very nice to meet you, Giblet." She retorts as she walks off.

"What about you, Benson?" Gibby asked. "You starting school tomorrow?"

"Yeah, Orientation is tomorrow. Just staying at Cassie's until I head to my dorm." Freddie stated. "I even met a girl is also going to City Tech. Her name is Millie."

"Is she cute?" Gibby asked.

"She is, in the perky fan girl sort of way." Freddie said. "She's of a fan of iCarly."

"Who isn't?" Gibby replied.

Freddie sighs, Gibby was always so positive about stuff that it still hadn't hit him that it's over.

"Gibby, the mixer's starting. You coming?" A female voice called him in the background.

"You know it! Be right there!" He called out. "That's Leighton, she lives in the room next to mine. Girl's a tall drink of water. Can't keep her waiting. Talk to ya soon?"

"Sure thing, man." Freddie said as the chat ended.

"So, that was Gibby?" Cassie said, breaking the silence. "You weren't kidding about him being an odd ball."

"Yeah, but he's a good guy. Good friend." Freddie stated. "You told me on the way to the restaurant that there was something you wanted to show me?"

Cassie lets out a deep breath and walks over to a closet and pulls out an old cardboard box. She begins to explore the box until she finds brown leather bound messenger bag. "Ah, here it is."

"What's that?" He asked as he stares at the bag.

"Uh, this- it belonged to your dad." Cassie told him. Freddie is stunned as Cassie walks over and sits down next to him. Freddie gingerly takes the bag from his aunt. "It's been fourteen years since the last time I saw him. He told me to hold on to this and if I ever saw you again, to give it to you."

Freddie stares at the last piece he had of his father.

"I'm not sure what happened between Lenny and Marissa but I want you to know that your dad loved you very much." Cassie told him as Freddie stares at the engraved name on a nameplate that read 'Leonard Sinclair.'

"I want to believe that." Freddie said. "Just want to know what could've happened to make him leave."

Cassie hugs Freddie tightly to show him to her support and he hugs her back.

•••

Freddie lies on the mattress of Cassie's pull-out. He was having trouble falling asleep, it had been quite a day. Cassie wasn't what he expected, she's one of the most amazing people he's ever met. All that had happened was compounded it with the gift from his father.

He never asked his mom why his dad left because he didn't want to upset her. She even cut him out of every picture of him she owned and lit them on fire. Freddie wanted to know what kind of man his dad was. He used to wonder why he left but after eighteen years of dealing with his mom's insane overprotectiveness, a part of Freddie understood.

Freddie stares at the bag, too scared to take a look inside. He figured that his dad wouldn't have given him an empty bag. Something had to be in there. He just was petrified to even look inside.

He rolls over and grabs his Pearphone. He clicks at his photos and starts scrolling through them. There were pictures of him with his mom, him with his friends, most of them were the trio (him, Carly and Sam). However he stops at a picture.

Of Sam.

Freddie had taken it a week before they broke. He managed to convince her to go to a botanical garden... after he promised to get some fried chicken afterwards. He caught her standing next to some white Oleanders. Everyone knows these flowers are beautiful but very dangerous because of their poisonous nature. That fit Sam in every way - beautiful and dangerous.

Freddie still didn't know why he still had it on his phone. Maybe he was still in love with her.

His memories go back to the kiss Carly have him the night she left to live in Italy with her dad. It was strange to him in many ways. He had gotten what he had always wanted, a kiss from the girl from his dreams. Thing was that he wasn't sure it was what he wanted anymore. Sure, he raised his arms in triumph only because he had gotten one last kiss from Carly before she left his life forever.

Freddie spent a few months hanging out with Sam like old times, hoping it would spark something between them again. However Sam struggled without Carly and left for Los Angeles and never came back. She started a babysitting service with some quirky red haired Hollywood Arts student named Cat Valentine.

The last time he had spoken to her was when she called him for help asking to find out who was posting negative reviews about her and Cat's babysitting service. Freddie managed to find out the reviews were being posted by the same person by using the IP address. He even ignored when she snickered after he said 'IP'. Freddie hoped they could talk more but she needed to get back to her friends to stop those, as she called them, fudge packers. He was a tad worried when she said 'Time for Mama to break out the butter sock' but if she said that, that meant these guys had it coming.

Freddie checked the time on his phone. It was 1:45. He sets his phone and stares at the ceiling. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day. Tomorrow, things were going to be different.

Freddie shuts his eyes and begins to fall asleep.

•••

Cassie pulls her car in front of the Hotel St George. This place was where City Tech as well as a few other colleges in the area had their student housing. "Here we are." Cassie said and Freddie let out a sigh. Freddie was wearing a dark purple plaid shirt with a black undershirt underneath and blue jeans. Cassie wore a black long sleeved mini dress paired matching leggings with her leather jacket and black high heeled boots. She glances over at him. "You nervous?"

Freddie gives her a weak smile. "Kind of. I'll be okay."

Cassie senses something he wasn't saying as she sees him tightly clutching the bag that belonged to his father. "Maybe I shouldn't have given that bag. It's agitated you-"

"Let's just drop it, okay?" Freddie insisted.

Cassie lifted her arms in defeat. "All right. Fair enough."

The two of them got out of Cassie's car. Freddie looks up at the structure of the hotel while Cassie opens her car's trunk. She begins to take out Freddie's bags as he looks back down at the leather bag. "Wanna give a hand here, kiddo?"

Freddie snaps out of his trance. "Right. Sorry." He said as he grabs one duffel bag while his laptop bag was strapped over his shoulder while Cassie slams the trunk shut.

"So, do you know who your roommate is?" Cassie asked as they head into the hotel.

"Uh, a guy. Gabe... Something."

"Gabe Something, strange name." Cassie joked as Freddie chuckles as they step into the elevator as a trio of girls got out. One of them was a sultry brunette who looks back at Freddie then looks back her friends who giggle. "What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking I'm gonna like college." Freddie said as the elevator doors close.

•••

Freddie and Cassie walk down a hallway as several students are settling in and socializing with one another. Freddie sees something in front of him and calls Cassie's attention. "Over here!"

Cassie follows Freddie to a door as he looks at a slip of paper. "Room 1804. This is it." He pulls out a key and opens the door. They walk inside and find a pretty blonde girl who was wearing a towel. "Oh!"

"Hi!" The blonde greeted them she wasn't shy about basically wearing nothing but a towel and a smile. "Are you Gabe's roomie?"

"I am. Um, and you are?" Freddie asked.

"I'm Taylor." She replied as she calls out. "Gabe, you're roommate is here!"

Out of the bathroom, a eighteen year old young man with messy brown hair that was slightly long. He wasn't wearing a shirt or shoes but had on pants.

Cassie rolls her eyes and Freddie stands in shock. They both knew what had happened here.

"So, that was fun." Taylor told Gabe as she kisses him on the cheek. "Let's do it again sometime."

"Anytime, Tracy." Gabe said. Taylor's eyes narrow as he realizes his mistake. "Tonya? No wait, Taryn?"

She slaps him across the face which causes Freddie to flinch at his pain and Cassie to put her hand in her mouth with amused shock. "It's Taylor!" She grabs her clothes and walks out the door. "Pig!" She slams the door.

Gabe goes to the door and calls out to her. "Come back! I'm so sorry..." He tried to remember her name.

"Taylor!" Freddie and Cassie said in unison.

Gabe was embarrassed by his slip up. "They really need to come with name tags." He sighs as he offers his hand to Freddie. "I'm Gabriel Morgan, you can call me Gabe."

"Freddie Benson." He said, shaking his hand.

"Wait, you're that dude from that web-show, what was it -? Oh, iCarly!" Gabe said.

"Yep, I was the tech producer." Freddie told him. He looks over at his aunt. "Oh, this is my aunt Cassie."

Cassie offers her hand to Gabe. "Cassie Sinclair."

"Nice to meet you." Gabe replied.

Cassie looks at Gabe. "Wait, Morgan? I know that name!  
Aren't you the son of billionaire tech mogul David Morgan?"

"That's me." Gabe said in a slightly sheepish tone.

"Dude, your dad is like an all out genius in robotics and weapons technology." Freddie replied, purely awestruck.

"Yeah, that's my old man." Gabe said with mild annoyance.

"I thought that the kid of a billionaire could go to any school in the country?" Cassie asked. "Harvard, MIT..."

"Which is why I decided to go here." Gabe replied. "I'm sure it would've been easy for me to go the top schools. Hell, the old man could've even sweetened the pot for those schools by donating a couple of million dollars but then I would've spent my entire education wondering if I earned it or if I was just taking the easy route."

"And you don't want that hanging over your head?" Freddie replied.

"Exactly." Gabe stated.

"That is actually quite admirable." Cassie replied to the boy she got to know under less than ideal circumstances. He isn't who she thought he was.

Cassie turns to face Freddie as Gabe puts on a clean shirt. "I've got some business to take care of on the other side of the Bridge. Call me once you've settled in and Orientation is done."

"I will. Promise." Freddie told her as she hugs him.

"Makes sure he doesn't get you into trouble." She said into his ear. Gabe heard that but she just shakes his head and smiles.

Cassie pulls away from her nephew and walks out of the room. Gabe walks over to Freddie and asked "Has anyone ever told you your aunt is smoking hot?"

Freddie turns and faces him "It's been brought up."

Gabe laughs as he goes to put on his shoes. "What time is it?"

Freddie checks his wristwatch. "It's 8:45. Orientation is at 9:15."

Gabe grabs his black leather jacket and puts it on. "Than let's get down there, shall we?"

Freddie grins and they walk out of the room.

•••

It took the boys about fifteen minutes to get to campus. Freddie knew he was late meeting Millie, hope that she wasn't mad at him.

Freddie and Gabe walk around campus as several group of girls look at Gabe with lust on their minds. "You certainly got a way with the ladies." Freddie said to his roommate.

Gabe notices that a few girls were giving Freddie the same looks. "Hey you ain't hurting, Benson. You might even make an excellent wingman?"

"Wingman?" Freddie questioned.

"Yeah, you could be the guy who works his earnest nice guy attitude on girls and I swoop in work my charms on them." Gabe explained as Freddie listened. "You can even help me-"

"Remember their names?" Freddie quips.

Gabe gives him a simpering look as Freddie turns and sees Millie walking on campus, holding a few books in her hands. She wore her hair in pigtails and had on green floral pattern button shirt underneath a denim jacket and light colored skinny jeans.

"Millie!" Freddie calls out which startles Millie and causes her to drop the books from her hands. Freddie and Gabe rush over and help Millie pick her books off the floor. "I am so sorry."

"It's fine. No biggie." Millie said as she picks up the books while Freddie and Gabe help her. "I waited outside the bookstore for fifteen minutes but I got bored and bought some books.

"Again I'm sorry. I shouldn't have kept you waiting." Freddie said apologetically. "Had to get to my stuff to my room at the St George."

Freddie picks up one of the books which title read 'The Complete Idiots Guide to Dating.' He gives her a look as she takes the book from him. "I have no idea how that got there." Millie said nervously.

"Yeah right and I'm the Queen of Sheba." Gabe chuckles as Millie scowls. She recognizes him, like they've met before.

"So Freddie, who's your charming friend?" Millie asked with a bitter attitude as she takes her books.

"Oh this is my roommate Gabe Morgan. Gabe, this is Millie Flores." Freddie said, making the proper introductions.

Gabe and Millie stare at each other. Millie had her arms crossed over her chest and Gabe sighs. Freddie could tell the two of them didn't like each other. It kind of reminded him of how he and Sam were before iCarly.

"We've met." Millie replied. "How's your mom, still having an affair with Jack Daniels?"

"Are we really going do this now, Millicent?" Gabe asked. "It was five years ago."

"And you think I'm going, what? Forgive and forget?" Millie retorts.

Freddie watches them argue with intense intrigue.

Gabe let in air and said "What happened your mom was a terrible accident-"

"Do not talk about my mother, you rich little-"

"Okay!" Freddie steps into the middle of them before Millie could finish. "Guys, chill out. It seems like you guys have some deep seeded history and you can tell me all about it later. Let's just get through orientation, maybe we can work this out. Does that sound fair?"

"All right." Gabe replied.

"Fine by me." Millie retorts.

Millie stomps forward as Gabe walks a few steps behind.

Freddie remains where he was for a moments as he mumbles "Now I know how you felt, Carls." After that, he walks after his new friends.

•••

Freddie, Millie and Gabe along with the other freshmen enter Kirby Hall, where City Tech held live presentations. Freddie sat between Gabe and Millie to prevent any further spats.

Standing the middle of the room was popular professor, thirty five year old Professor Thomas Bennett who teaches entertainment technology. Everyone calls him Professor Tommy and he was fawned over by the female student body because his boyish good looks and even temper. He would also be one of Freddie's professor.

"Good morning guys, if you'll find a seat anywhere." Professor Tommy told the freshmen. "Let me be the first to welcome you to the New York College of Technology but feel free to call it City Tech if you feel that's a bit of a mouthful." Some the students laugh at this. Freddie stares at him, trying to read him. He has usually been a good judge of character so figured he'd try. "Now I bet you all are thinking I going to give some boring speech about how higher learning is important. It is but I know all of you are smart enough to know that. So instead, I'm going to conduct a little social experiment. I'll need two volunteers..." He looks around the room and points at Freddie and Millie. "You two, come up here please."

Millie eagerly got up from her seat while Freddie let out a deep sigh and reluctantly follows Millie to where Professor Tommy was standing.

"I don't like where this is going." Freddie whispers quietly as Millie shushes him.

"Okay. Does any here know who these two are?" Professor Tommy asked the freshmen. A girl with jet black hair cut in a short bob raised her hand. "Yes?"

"I have no idea who the girl is but he's from that old web-show, what's called? Oh yeah, iCarly!" The jet black haired girl replied.

Freddie gives a bit of weak smile as Gabe raises his hand. Professor Tommy acknowledges him by pointing at him.

"His name is Freddie Benson, he's my roommate. He's a pretty cool dude but that's just my personal opinion." Gabe replied.

"And do you know her?" Professor Tommy asked which causes Millie to look down.

"Yeah, her name's Millie Flores. Her- uh- mom used work for my parents... as a maid." Gabe said as Millie bit her lip. Freddie looks taken aback.

A bleach blonde haired girl's laughter cut the air of silence. "So her mom was the help? Makes sense." She said twirling a strand of her hair.

"What does that supposed to mean?" Millie asked.

"No offense but your people tend to either end up working as maids or at nail salons." The girl said callously as Millie glares at her. "So what she doing now? Cleaning rooms in some flea bag motel in Queens?"

"My mom's dead, you classless scruzz-bag!" Millie spat as tears well up in her eyes.

This statement filled the room with awkward silence.

Gabe speaks up as he looks back the girl who was rude to Millie. "Hey Heather! What gives you the right to judge her! At least her dad didn't end in prison for committing tax fraud!"

The girl, Heather, sat there with her mouth agape as Freddie and Millie look at each other.

"Freddie, Millie, take your seats please." Professor Tommy told them as Freddie put a comforting hand on Millie's shoulder as she gave him the sign that she was okay. "Could someone tell me what the point of that experiment was?"

"For pointless humiliation?" A tall lanky boy quips.

"Actually no." Professor Tommy said. "I wanted to show that we are all came here for different reasons. But we all have a similar goal - to find out what kind of people we are. We could be trying to see if there's more to us than meets the eye. We all want to matter." These words were striking a cord with Freddie. "It's a journey we must travel on but we don't have to necessarily travel alone. Life isn't easy, certainly not an easy journey. I'm not going to sugar coat this, things will be tough. There will be pain, sadness, but it is these emotions that will make us appreciate the joy we experience. This isn't a cliche when I say that this your time. You just have to be ready for it."

•••

The freshmen begin to exit from Kirby Hall with Freddie, Millie and Gabe gathering their belongings. Freddie still in between his two friends. It was still awkward between Millie and Gabe. "Do you guys want to find a quiet place so we can talk?" Freddie asked. "I think you guys should work things out because I really hate to have to be the monkey in the middle."

"Seems fair." Gabe said as he turns to Millie. "Mills, I think we've aired our grievances-"

"Speak for yourself, heir apparent." Millie jokes under her breath.

"Millie, let him finish." Freddie replied.

Millie sighs. "Sorry, keep going."

Gabe nods and continues speaking to Millie. "Listen, I don't want our past to define the next few years at this school. If it's all right with you, I want to start over. Tabula Rasa."

Millie appears confused. "Huh?"

"It's latin. Means clean slate." Freddie informs her.

"Oh." Millie uttered. "Tell you what Gabe, I'll cut you SOME slack but don't think I'm just gonna let bygones be bygones. It still hurts."

"I know." He replied. "I don't expect you let me off so easy. I just want to be your friend again."

Millie lets out a deep breath and offers a hand shake. "Friends... On trail basis."

Freddie smiles as the pair accept each others olive branch.

The trio goes to leave when suddenly Freddie accidentally bumps into professor wearing a long lab coat. He was tall, about 6'1", had short greying black hair and horn-rimmed glasses. His paperwork scattered all over the floor and Freddie, Millie and Gabe helped pick them up.

Freddie began to apologize. "I am really sorry."

"It's quite all right. No harm done." The professor said, speaking calmly in a German accent.

"Think we should start calling you Demolition Man, Benson." Gabe quips as Millie smacks him. "Ow!"

"You told me not to let you off easy." she replied.

Freddie began to read through some of the paperwork. There were complex equations and drawing of a strange device. His eyes widen, he knows what it is. "Is this a Tesla coil?"

The professor looks stunned as Gabe began to look at the papers as well. "Sweet fancy Moses, these are plans for a Tesla coil!"

The professor shushes them as Millie stares at them with pure confusion. "What's a Tesla coil?"

The professor and the two boys stare at her as if she had sprouted five heads.

"A Tesla coil is an electrical resonant transformer circuit invented by Nikola Tesla. Tesla was an inventor during the 19th century who was known for his high-voltage, high-frequency power experiments." Freddie explained.

"The guy was a futurist, completely ahead of his time." Gabe retorts. "He's best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current electricity supply system."

"The coil is used to produce high-voltage, low-current, high frequency alternating-current electricity." Freddie stated. "Tesla coils can produce higher voltages than other artificial sources of high-voltage discharges, electrostatic machines."

"Tesla used these coils to conduct innovative experiments in electrical lighting, phosphorescence, x-ray generation, high frequency alternating current phenomena, electrotherapy, and the transmission of electrical energy without wires." Gabe told her.

Millie smacks her forehead, a bit annoyed. "Sweet Christmas, you two are such nerds."

"I am impressed, boys." The professor replied and shook their hands. "My name is Professor Emil Dahl. I teach electrical engineering here at City Tech."

"I'm Fredward Benson but prople just call me Freddie." he told Professor Dahl.

Gabe hands Professor Dahl his papers. "Gabriel Morgan, everyone calls me Gabe and sweet but slightly clueless young lady over here is Millicent Flores."

"I'd much prefer being called Millie." She retorts.

"Professor, are you building the coil?" Freddie asked.

"Phssh, building?" Professor Dahl replied to the question with pride I his voice. "It is already built."

"Seriously?" Gabe asked in amazement.

"No way!" Freddie replied with an astonished tone.

"As a matter of fact, I planning my first test of it tonight." Professor Dahl told the boys. "If you are not too busy maybe you two can assist me in the first test."

"Are you serious?" Freddie asked. "That'd be awesome!"

"I'm game." Gabe answered.

"Wait, isn't the student mixer tonight?" Millie informs the boys.

"Oh yeah, that's right!" Gabe remembered.

"If you have other plans, there is always another time." Professor Dahl said.

"No, no, it's not a problem." Freddie replied.

"We'll be there." Gabe told him.

Professor Dahl looks at Millie "And your friend? She doesn't appear to be interested."

Millie sighs "I can pretend to be interested. Besides, someone's got to watch out for these eggheads. Keep 'em out of trouble."

The boys look exasperated at their female companion.

"All right. Meet me on the roof of the Ursula C. Schwerin Library. I'll begin the test at 21:00 hours." The professor said.

"I know this... Nine o'clock, right?" Millie replied.

"Correct." Professor Dahl said. "See you all then."

He takes his papers and walks off down the hall. The professor sees Professor Bennett and another man dressed in a well tailored suit and hides behind a pillar.

Professor Bennett and the other man leave the area and Professor Dahl walks off quickly.

•••

The trio walks out of Kirby Hall as several students gather in the quad. Millie seemed rather annoyed with the two boys.

"Can't believe we're going to miss the mixer to watch some mad science experiment." Millie complained.

"You don't have to come with us?" Freddie said.

"Yeah, you can go to the party while chill with Victor Frankenstein." Gabe replied.

"No way. After that incident at Orientation, I've got 'freak' tattooed on my forehead. I can't go alone." Millie said. "I need be around a friendly face... and Gabe."

Freddie sighs. "What if I told you we can go to the mixer and make it in time to help Professor Dahl with the coil?"

"And how do we manage that?" Millie asked.

"Yeah, Benson, how?" Gabe asked with curiosity.

"Well, the mixer starts at 6:30, right?" He said as his friends agree. "In that case, we go to the mixer, stay and party for about an hour and a half and leave. Making it just in time to help with the Tesla coil. How does that sound?"

Millie smiles and hugs Freddie for being good with time management. "You are brilliant!"

Freddie smiles as Gabe grins. "Now why didn't I think of that."

"Yeah, why didn't you, Prodigy" Millie joked as Gabe glares at her.

The trio hears a commotion headed their way. It was Heather and her friends but also with them was Heather's tall and angry looking boyfriend. He has a short blond hair in a buzz cut and looked extremely pissed off.

Heather points at Gabe. "That's him, Ricky! That's the guy that made fun of me!"

Ricky got in his face. "Is that true? You make fun of my girl?"

"She may have left out some stuff but yeah, that's the gist it." Gabe said matter-of-factly.

"Why don't you try making fun of me, rich boy?" Ricky threatened.

"I would but the insults would probably go over your head because my IQ is more than two digits." Gabe jokes which causes Ricky to punch him hard in the gut. Millie and Freddie become concerned as a crowd gathers around them.

"I don't an IQ to beat the tar out of you!" Ricky yelled as he shoves Gabe to the ground.

"Hey, cut it out!" Freddie yelled to no avail. Millie gets in Heather's face.

"Hey, tell your neanderthal boyfriend to quit it!" Millie demanded Heather

"Well since you asked so politely... No." Heather snidely replied as Ricky grabs Gabe's leg and starts twisting his ankle.

"Dude, knock it off!" Freddie yelled over the crowd.

"You like that, pretty boy?" Ricky asked as Gabe reeled in pain. He pounds on the floor as if to say he's tapping out but Ricky didn't stop. Heather was enjoying Gabe being tortured.

"Let him go... Dick!" Freddie told Ricky, using another name for Richard. This causes some of the crowd to go 'Ooooh' and Ricky lets go of Gabe's leg but focuses on Freddie. Freddie goes to check on his roommate. "Hey-"

Before he could do anything, Ricky shoves Freddie back and punches hard in the face that causes Freddie to fall to the ground. "Come on, get up, Benson! Get up!" Freddie gets to his feet only to get punched in the abdomen. Freddie fell to ground and held himself up with his hands and knees. Ricky grins and kicks Freddie hard in the stomach. Freddie ends up flat on his back. "Stay down, Benson!"

Freddie looks like he just got the wind knocked out of him and Gabe was grabbing his leg in pain.

A girl with long dark brown hair and cinnamon complexion steps through the crowd. She is wearing a black top with a white blazer over it, a short mini skirt and knee high boots. She looks at Heather and gives her a look of contempt.

The girl steps up to Ricky. "You gonna hit me too? Go right ahead. Take your best shot."

"I'd like to see that too." Professor Tommy's voice called out as the crowd began to break away as Professor Tommy goes to confront. "It's the first day, son, let's not start on the wrong foot."

Ricky stares down Tommy but he backs away. Heather looks annoyed as Gabe limps to his feet.

"If I hear that this was your idea, Ms Chase, I don't care who your parents are, I'll see to it that you get thrown out of this school. Clear?" He told Heather. Heather glares at him as she and Ricky walk away with her friends.

The girl who stepped up to Ricky looks back at Freddie who was getting to his feet on his own. She gives him a warm smile and walks off along with rest of the crowd.

Professor Tommy goes to check on Freddie. "Are you okay?"

"I think so." Freddie breathed. "That was a first."

"First what?" Tommy asked.

"First time I took a beating... From a guy." Freddie said still feeling the pain from the blows. Sam never hit this hard. A part of him thought maybe she had been holding back. He looks over at Gabe and Millie. "Still want to go to the mixer?"

Gabe smirks as he rubs his ankle while Millie looks at her two injured friends.

•••

Freddie was standing in front of the bathroom mirror getting ready for the mixer. He was hearing a black T-shirt and dark jeans and he had a grey jacket sitting on the counter. He notices some bruising on the side of his mouth. He touches his mouth which causes him to flinch a bit.

A part of Freddie was a bit proud of himself for taking the beating. He certainly wasn't going to tell his mom that he got into a fight. She could come there and drag him back to Seattle which was the last thing he wanted.

All of a sudden, his Pearphone rings. He sees the number and answers "Cassie?"

"Seeing as you didn't call me right away after Orientation, I take it things went well." Cassie stated.

"Let me just say that things were quite eventful." Freddie told his aunt in a meek tone.

"Why don't I like the sound of that." Cassie replied.

"You promise not to wig out?" he asked worriedly.

Cassie sighs "What happened?"

"I sort of got into a fight." Freddie fearfully admitted, unsure how his aunt would react.

"Please tell that by fight you mean a spirited debate." Cassie hoped.

"No, not really." Freddie replied.

After a brief pause, "Did you win?"

Freddie smirks, still in pain. "If by win do you mean that I didn't even throw a punch and ended up flat on my back? If so then yeah, I totally won."

"Who's the creep who did it so I can find him and break all the bones in his face?" Cassie asked in a livid tone.

"Just some blowhard who's girlfriend Gabe insulted. He was beating up Gabe and I was trying to get him to stop." Freddie explained. "He did but I ended up getting up punched and kicked for my troubles."

"How did I know that that guy was going to get you into trouble?" Cassie joked.

Freddie laughs. "Hey, so how long have you known Millie?"

"About four years. She and her dad moved into the apartment building a few blocks from mine." She replied. "Why do you ask?"

"So did you know about what happened to her mom?" He asked.

Cassie sighs again. "Just what her dad told me. She fell down a flight of marble stairs working at the home of some affluent family."

"Did you know that family was Gabe's?" Freddie replied.

"Are you serious?" Cassie asked in an incredulous tone.

"Yeah." He replied.

"Wow. That must've gone over well when you two met up with her." She said.

"You could say that." Freddie joked. "I did try to help them work something out. They seem to be on good terms or at least on mildly amicable terms where they aren't trying to kill each other."

"Hey, that's something." Cassie replied. "Do you have any plans for the evening?"

"Well, Gabe, Millie and I are going together to this mixer at school." He told her. "Why, did you want to do something?"

"Fredward, relax, I'm not your mom. It's not like I have some jigsaw puzzles that I need you to help me finish or anything." Cassie joked which made Freddie chuckle. "Have fun. You deserve some fun."

"I will." He said.

"Oh and try to stay out of trouble, okay? Promise me that you won't get into another fight." Cassie said.

Freddie laughs. "I give you my word I won't get into any fights."

"Well, at least not until you let me teach you a few moves." She quips. "You need to learn how to defend yourself."

"Sam tried that a few times but I'm thinking she was just wanted an excuse to hit me." He laughs as a twinge of pain went through him. Mostly emotional.

Cassie laughs. "Listen, I gotta go. Have fun at your party... but not too much fun. I went to college, I know how rowdy those kinds of parties can get."

"All right, fine. Talk to you later." Freddie replied as she hung up.

•••

Cassie was in the hallway close to the door to her apartment. She was holding her Pearphone and a bag of take out for one.

Another eventful evening of sitting home alone and having take out, watching episodes of Firefly on Netflix. Particularly her favorite episode 'Out of Gas'.

She put her Pearphone in her jacket pocket and digs through her messenger bag to pull out her keys as tries to hold on to her take out. Just as she finds her keys, her Pearphone falls out of her pocket. She tries to catch it, another person's hand catches it before it hits the floor.

Cassie looks over her shoulder and sees a blond hair man who looks about the same age as her. His hair was short and combed neatly but something wouldn't let it be tamed. He had gorgeous blue eye that compliment his complexion. His physique was well-sculpted and his demeanor seemed rough and tumble. Cassie couldn't help but stare.

"Miss?" His voice broke Cassie's concentration. "I believe this belongs to you."

Cassie snaps out of it and laughs nervously. "Right. Yeah, it does. Thanks." She took the Pearphone from his hand.

"Glad I could help. These things are way too expensive to have to replace regularly." The man said.

"That is very true." Cassie replied. "Um, do you live here or do you just go around saving people's Pearphones from certain doom?"

"Um, yeah. I just moved in down the hall." The man said as he offered his hand. "I'm Pete, Pete Sawyer."

Cassie smiles as she takes his hand, accepting the handshake. "Cassie Sinclair. Nice to meet you, Mr Sawyer."

"Don't, Mr Sawyer's my father." Pete stated. "My friends call me Pete. Well, they would if I had any. I'm kind of new to the city."

"Really? In that case, I'd be more than happy to be your gatekeeper, Pete." Cassie retorts, making him smile which causes Cassie to blush. "Um, I have to get inside and have dinner. If you need to - um- borrow some sugar or need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

"I'll keep that in mind." Pete said as he walks back to his apartment. "See ya around, Red."

Cassie watches him leave and when she hears his door open then close, she lets out a breath. "Jeez it, get a grip, girl." She opens the door to her apartment and walks inside. Once she's fully inside and has closed the door, Cassie lets out an excited yelp that Pete heard through the wall.

•••

The student mixer was happening outside a recreation center and several City Tech students were dancing, chatting and having a good time.

The song 'I Feel Like Dancin' by All Time Low blares through the sound system.

At a billiard table, Gabe, who was wearing a white untucked button up shirt with a loose black tie and jeans, was taking a shot with two other students that he was playing with. "Eight ball, side pocket." He shoots and makes the shot as the other players groan. "Thanks for playing. Time to pay the piper."

The two each hand Gabe a wad of cash as Gabe quickly counts the money by quickly flicking the wads. "Hey, you're short twenty."

"Come on, man. A man has to eat." The guy missing money replied.

"Tell you what, I'm feeling generous." Gabe said as he tosses the guy back his money.

"Thanks, man!" He said happily.

"Hey, what about me?" The other guy asked.

Gabe grins like a Cheshire cat. "Squeaky wheel gets the grease, my friend. Maybe you should've said something sooner."

He points at Gabe then at the table. "Double or nothing!"

"Fine, I'm game." Gabe said. "Rack 'em up."

In another part of the room, Freddie and Millie were sitting on a couch watching some of the people dance. Freddie was wearing his grey jacket over his outfit and Mille wore sleeveless cream colored top with black skinny jeans. Freddie was telling her a story which was making her laugh. "And it exploded." Freddie told her.

"Because he set it on overload?" She asked.

"He's a good guy but no one ever accused Gibby of being a rocket scientist." Freddie joked.

"I'm still trying to understand how you turned a toy phaser from Galaxy Wars into an actual working phaser." Millie laughed.

"And to be honest, so am I." Freddie said frankly.

"I guess you're just that much of a genius." Millie told him.

"Well I don't like to brag but I did find a cure for bilateral optic stenosis." Freddie said proudly.

Millie gives him a quizzical look "That's a thing?"

Freddie just laughs as he looks around. The sound system begins to play the next song, 'Applause' by Lady Gaga. He looks at Millie. "You could go out there."

"Is that an invitation?" She asked him playfully.

"I don't dance." Freddie told her.

"Why? Got two left feet?" Millie asked jokingly.

"You could say that." He replied when the tall lanky guy with glasses from Orientation walks over to the two of them.

"Hi, Millie." He said anxiously. "I w-was w-wondering if you'd like to dance w-with me."

Millie smiles brightly "I don't-"

"She'd love to." Freddie answered. This causes Millie to stare at her friend.

"What are you, her spokesman?" The lanky guy asked.

Freddie grins as Millie gets up from her chair and grabs the lanky guy's hand. "Let's go. So, what's your name?"

"I'm Jeremy, Jeremy Yancy." The lanky guy said.

"All right, Yancy. Let's dance." Millie replied as she pulls Jeremy to the dance floor.

Freddie watches this as Gabe walks over to Millie's empty chair and sat down. "I just managed to hustle 397 dollars from a from half the guys at this party."

"Isn't that chump change for you, Mr Trust Fund." Freddie joked.

Gabe chuckles when he looks up and notices something. "You've got an admirer, Benson."

Freddie looks up and sees the girl who stood up to Ricky looking at him but she looks away.

"I think she's looking at you." Freddie said, dismissing the comment.

Gabe grins at him. "Ten bucks says you're wrong."

Freddie looks down when the girl begins to make her way towards the boys. She was wearing an army green sleeveless tank top and black leather pants with black high heels. Her jet black hair bounced as she strides towards them. She stops and looks straight at Freddie.

"Hi, Freddie, right?" The girl spoke as Freddie looks at Gabe and back at the pretty girl talking to him.

Gabe grins mischievously. "I'll accept payment later." Freddie rolls his eyes as Gabe looks around and sees a couple of girls giving him the eye. "I'll let the two of you chat." He got up from the seat and walks over to the girls that were staring at him as the girls greet him.

The girl sits down in the abandoned seat. Freddie begins to get a little flustered. He's not used to getting this much attention, especially not from someone as beautiful as this girl.

"How's your face?" She asked Freddie, confusing him. She points at her lip indicting that she was regarding his bruised lip.

"Oh, it-uh- doesn't hurt bad as it looks." Freddie said, trying to play it cool.

"I thought it was great what you did for your friend." She said as smiles at him, her soft brown eye glistening. "It was stupid, but it was great."

"Just helping out a friend. No big deal." Freddie replied sheepishly. "Besides, you standing up to that guy took guts too."

"Believe me, I was bluffing the whole time." She said with a nervous giggle. "I'm Jane, by the way. Jane Louis."

"Freddie Benson."

"Good." Jane replied.

"What?" He asked with a perplexed look on his face.

"Nothing, I was just checking for an signs of concussion." Jane replied. "Any signs of confusion like say, forgetting your name."

"Well you'll be happy to known all my mental faculties are in tack." Freddie told her.

"Good to know." Jane said in a flirty manner.

Unexpectedly, Freddie's Pearphone chimes. He pulls in out of his jacket pocket and looks at it. It read the time - 8:30 PM. Freddie lets out a frustrated groan.

"Aw, dang, no!" He stated.

"What is it?" Jane asked.

"I've gotta go." Freddie said a tad disappointed. "I promised a professor I'd help him with an experiment at nine o'clock."

"Oh, that's a shame." Jane said, trying to hide her disappointment. "I was hoping we could get to know each other a little more."

"I don't have to go if-"

"No, it's okay. You made a commitment and I can't fault you for that." Jane said to him.

"Wow, you are surprisingly chill about this." Freddie said with astonishment.

Jane smiles brightly as she hands him her Pearphone. "Give me your phone." Freddie looks perplexed as they hand each other their phones. He quickly realizes what she was doing and he types something on her phone. "I put my number in your contacts and I'm assuming you're putting your number on mine."

"Yep." He said as they hand each other back their phones. "I'll call you later and let you know how the experiment went."

"Totally. Maybe we can even make plans to see each other again." She said as he grins.

"Why wait? How does lunch sound?" He asked.

"Sounds great." She replied.

He walks away as Jane watches him leave. A big smile is permanently on her face.

Freddie looks to find his friends and sees Gabe chatting with a large group of girls. He was telling some story as the girls listened or laughed at what he said. Freddie taps Gabe to get his attention. Gabe turns his head to sees his roommate standing behind him.

"We gotta go, man. It's time." Freddie told him.

Gabe nods and turns his attention to the girls. "Sorry ladies, I've gotta go but I promise I'll be seeing all of you later at one point or another." The girls complained and begged him to stay as he began to leave with Freddie. "Where's Millie?"

Freddie looks around and sees Millie still dancing with Jeremy. "There she is."

The two boys walk over and get Millie's attention. "We gotta jet." Gabe replied

"Now?" Millie asked. The two boys nod. "All right, you guys go. I'll stay."

"Aren't you afraid Hearher and the other Plastics are going to show?" Gabe asked her and her eyes widen.

Millie turns to Jeremy. "I gotta go."

"But we were having fun. Can't you stay a little while longer?"

"As much as I want to, I can't." She told him. "I've got some extra credit to work on."

"Fine, but can I at least get your number?" He asked.

Millie smiles and takes out a pen from his front pocket. She takes his left hand and writes something on it as she gives him a kiss on the cheek. "Here's my number. Call me."

Jeremy grins as Millie leave with Freddie and Gabe. He looks at his hand to see if she actually wrote down a number.

•••

On the roof of the Ursula C. Schwerin Library, Professor Dahl was working on a large strange looking device. He was doing some calculations and running a some recalibrations when Freddie, Gabe and Millie enter through a roof access door.

"Sorry, are we late?" Freddie asked the professor.

"You are actually right on time." Professor Dahl told them. "Fredward, Gabriel, if you could evaluate the data I've just gathered. I'll begin to power on the coil."

Freddie and Gabe do so as the professor checks on the coil's equipment. Professor Dahl proceeds to power on the field.

Millie looks around and notices that the sky is being darkened by heavy cloud cover. "Are you sure this is a good idea? It looks like it's gonna rain."

"Those are not rain clouds, Millicent. Those are clouds caused by electromagnetic interference. Nothing to worry about." Professor Dahl told her as loud thunder booms through the sky.

"Yeah, that's not reassuring!" She yelled nervously.

"Don't worry, Millie! I'm sure the professor knows what he's doing." Freddie yelled as lightning flashes.

"Yeah, we'll be fine." Gabe replied as he jokingly remarks. "You don't have any fillings, do you?"

Millie yells "That isn't funny!"

Gabe chuckles as Millie begins to look through some of Professor Dahl's papers. "So, how'd it go with the mystery girl?" He asked Freddie in a low tone.

Freddie looks up and with a big smile said. "We exchanged numbers. I'm having lunch with her tomorrow." He pulls out a ten dollar bill and hands it to Gabe.

Gabe grins and takes the money as he studies the numbers on the digital display of a electronic tablet and he looks worried. "This can't be right."

"What is it?" Freddie asked.

"These numbers are abnormally high for a standard Tesla coil." Gabe said as Freddie looks over the numbers as well. He didn't like the look of the numbers either.

"Professor!" Freddie yelled to get Professor Dahl's attention. "Professor Dahl!"

"Yes, yes, what is it?" Professor Dahl said as he watches the progress of the coil. The wind was picking up and blew some of the papers out of Millie's hand which blew out of reach. She looks at Professor Dahl and saw he hadn't even noticed.

The Tesla coil began to flow with electrical energy.

"These numbers don't make sense! They're way too high!" Freddie called out to get his attention only have Dahl shush him. The trio looks up and sees the clouds above them were filling up with large amounts of electromagnetic energy.

"We mustn't let anyone know we are performing this experiment!" He said in a hushed but angry tone.

"Wait, I thought we had permission to be doing this?" Freddie asked in horror.

The energy from the coil began to grow bigger and became stronger. Freddie and Gabe realize that they had made a terrible mistake.

"Gentlemen, we can not make a perfect omelette without breaking a few eggs." The professor said as he stares in awe at the supercharged Tesla coil. "Yes, it is working better than I expected."

Freddie and Gabe look at each other with concern for themselves and Millie. "Benson, I think this guy has lost it."

"Yeah, I gathered that." Freddie replied as he starts to formulate a plan. "I'll try to get Professor Dahl to calm down. You find a way to shut this thing down!"

Gabe nods as Freddie makes his way over to the professor who was inching closer to the center of the energy field. Millie tries to back away but Professor Dahl grabs her roughly by the arm.

"Where do you think you're going" He told Millie as she stares back at him.

Gabe rushes towards the control panel for the coil. He tried in vain to shut down the coil but the energy field was becoming incredibly unstable and the control panel began to short circuit.

An extremely loud boom of thunder is heard which makes Millie scream loudly.

Professor Dahl rushes towards her and begins to shake her. "I said to be quiet!" He shoves her hard to the ground. Millie looks completely terrified. "Serves me right for trusting children with MY scientific breakthrough!"

Millie was too scared to move as the professor goes to strike her. Freddie tackles Professor Dahl to the ground. The attack causes the professor to be knocked underneath the center of the energy field.

Professor Dahl screamed in agony as the field's unstable energy began to shred his clothes and flay away pieces of his skin. The control panel for the coil fried and caused a small explosion that knocks Gabe off his feet.

Freddie and Millie watch helplessly as the energy grew too strong for even the coil to contain and it spread onto the large clouds above the machine as the coil shut down. The electromagnetic energy dispersed in the clouds.

Seeing that the professor was incapacitated, Millie goes to check on Gabe who began coming to after surviving the explosion. "Relax. You might have a concussion."

"Is that your expert opinion, Nurse Jackie?" Gabe gasped as Millie rolls her eyes. At least his sarcasm was intact.

Freddie looks at Professor Dahl's unmoving form and goes to check on him. He sees the condition Professor Dahl was in. It didn't matter that he had gone insane, he needed help. "I think we need to call an ambulance."

Millie and Gabe look up and a powerful boom is heard.

"Benson, watch out!" Gabe called out to him.

"Freddie!" Millie screamed.

Before he could react, a powerful bolt of pure electromagnetic energy struck Freddie center in the chest. His entire body was being inundated by a pulse of the incredible electromagnetic lightning that had been absorbed by the clouds. Freddie didn't even have a chance to scream.

Millie and Gabe watched helplessly as the pulsating energy overwhelms their friend.

The pulse dispersed and caused a power outage within a three mile radius. Freddie stood in place for a moment until he fell to his knees then fell face down on the floor.

Millie and Gabe rush over to their friend. Millie turns Freddie to face upward as she checks for any sign of life. "He's alive but his pulse is weak. We need to get him to a hospital."

Gabe grabs his Pearphone and begins to dial as Millie tries to rouse Freddie. His eyes look glazed over.

"911, what is you emergency?" The dispatcher's voice is heard.

"Yes, I need an ambulance at the campus of New York City College of Technology. There's been an accident."

"Freddie, can you hear me?" Millie asked. "Answer me! Freddie! Freddie?"

All Freddie could hear was a shrill ringing in his ears that muffled Millie's words. In his eyes, a light could be seen, an electric blue spark arcs from his eyes for a split second.

To Be Continued...

* * *

Cast

Fredward 'Freddie Benson - Nathan Kress  
Cassandra 'Cassie' Sinclair - Melissa Archer  
Millicent 'Millie' Flores - Ashley Argota  
Gabriel 'Gabe' Morgan - Landon Liboiron  
Peter 'Pete' Sawyer - Charlie Hunnam  
Jane Louis - Vanessa Morgan

* * *

All right, I hope you've enjoyed this. Part Two of this 'episode' is coming soon.


	2. Episode Two: Tempest (Part Two)

**Author's Note:** I really hope everyone enjoyed part one. I'll try to have these up frequently. I want my readers like what I'm working on.

There was a bit of an alteration that earlier readers might be aware of. I made a bit of a mistake with the story's timeline. Hope it doesn't affect your reading experience.

As you read, you might be thinking "Hey, you promised us Seddie!" Don't worry, it's coming! It's a marathon, not a sprint. Trust me guys, I know what I'm doing ... for the most part anyway. Also if you don't feel the relationship building between Freddie and Jane Louis, give it time. There's a method to my madness. There's no drama without conflict so chill.

**Disclaimer:** Like I've said before, I don't own anything under the ownership of Schneider's Bakery. I only own the characters I came up with. I also don't own any of the music I use for this series.

With that said, please enjoy part two!

•••

"When we quit thinking primarily about ourselves and our own self-preservation, we undergo a truly heroic transformation of consciousness."

Joseph Campbell

•••

Everything was white.

All Freddie could feel was pins and needles running through him. There were sounds around him as he began to wake up. Familiar voices.

Freddie opens his eyes fully and finds himself on the couch of the Shay loft. He was wearing the same clothes he wore the night he and Sam broke up.

He hears Carly, Gibby and Spencer heading up to the iCarly studio, discussing something about Gibby's cat. The elevator doors open and he sees Sam exit from the elevator. She was wearing the outfit she wore the day night they broke up. "Oh good. You're up." She said to him.

"What happened?" He asked, taking in deep breaths.

"You don't remember?" Sam asked as she went over to the fridge to grab a snack.

Freddie had a flash of new memories race through his mind. Arriving in New York, meeting his father's sister Cassie Sinclair, meeting his new friends Millie Flores and Gabe Morgan, getting beat up by Ricky, meeting Jane Louis and the terrifying experiment conducted by Professor Dahl. The last memory was being struck by the powerful blast of electromagnetic bolt of lightning which causes him to grab his head in pain.

Freddie looks up at Sam who was making herself a ham sandwich with extra ham. "So?"

"I got struck lightning." Freddie told her. "Am I dead?"

Sam laughs, not looking at him. "That's not how this works, Freddison."

Freddie looks a bit perplexed. "There's something I'm supposed to be doing."

"Yeah, miles to go." Sam said still not looking at him. "Lightning in a bottle."

Freddie stares at her. "When you start speaking in riddles?"

She turns around to face him. "Sorry. Your head is filling up with new stuff. Kinda jumbled."

"So, this my mind?" He asked.

"Beats me." Sam replied, shrugging, which makes Freddie laugh. She walks closer to him. "I do need you to do something though."

"Name it." Freddie replied.

Sam gets close to him and kisses him on the cheek and says. "You have to wake up." Sam back away a few inches.

"What?" Freddie replied with a mixture of confusion and utter refusal.

Sam claps her hands in his face "Wake up!"

•••

Freddie wakes up in a start. He lets in a few deep breaths as he feels a presence beside his hospital bed.

It was his Aunt Cassie who was clutching a silver ring that was looped on a matching chain around her neck. Her hair was straight and she was wearing a short sleeved top with black pants and ballet flats. She looks over and sees that Freddie was awake.

"Oh thank god." Cassie said breathing a sigh of relief. "Welcome back to the land of the living, kiddo."

"Wh-what happened?" Freddie asked, trying to get his bearings. "Where am I?"

"You're at the hospital. They brought you here after the accident." Cassie told him. "How are you feeling?"

"Like my insides are on fire." Freddie said as he tries to sit up which worries Cassie. He motions to let her know he was okay to sit up. "How-"

"How long have you been here?" Cassie guessed his question as Freddie nods. "It would've been officially three days in about four hours if you hadn't woken up just now."

Freddie is still unnerved by his predicament. "You aren't, like, mad at me, are you?"

Cassie sighs. "At first I was. I was beyond angry at the fact that you almost got yourself killed. However seeing as you did almost die, you get a 'Get Out of Jail Free' card on a count of big love and near death."

"Thanks." Freddie gives her a weak smile. "How many of those do I get?"

Cassie couldn't help but smile. "Three. You just used up one so-"

"I'll try to be careful not to waste the rest." He joked. As mad as she still was, Cassie could not help herself from smiling.

"You're incredibly lucky to be alive right now." She told him. "You know that?"

Freddie's gaze becomes distant. "You think so?"

Cassie smiles warmly at her nephew. Something was troubling him and she knew that.

Freddie realizes something. "Wait, does my mom know about this?"

"Um, she knows you were taken to the hospital." Cassie said as Freddie began to panic. "But I told her it was because you have an inner ear infection. She doesn't know why you're really here."

"She bought that?" He asked and Cassie nods. "Okay. But why an inner ear infection?"

"It was the first thing that popped into my head. Sue me." Cassie stated as Freddie laughs.

"Knowing her, if she had found out the truth, she would've hopped on the first flight out here and dragged me back to Seattle." Freddie said frankly.

"Then believe me when I tell you she would have to go through me to get to you." Cassie told him which makes him smile. He'd pay good money to see that.

At that moment, there was a knock at the door as Gabe pokes his head in. "How's he doing?"

Cassie grins brightly as Freddie waves to his roommate. "You can ask him yourself."

Gabe smiles but is quickly pushed aside by Millie as she pokes her head in. "Freddie?"

"Hey." He said quietly.

Millie opens the door and walks into the hospital room, wearing a loose-fitting orange floral top with red pants and her hair down. She goes over to Freddie and Cassie as Gabe walks inside as well, recovering from Millie's assault. He was wearing an army green T-shirt with his black leather jacket and blue jeans.

"Haven't you heard of the phrase 'excuse me'?" Gabe asked, rubbing his shoulder as Millie looks at him. "Think you dislocated my shoulder."

"Well it's a good thing we're in a hospital then." Millie quips as she turns back to Freddie. "How are you doing?"

"Good. Starting to get the feeling back in my legs." Freddie told his friends. He sees his friends were also shaken up by their ordeal.

"You're one lucky guy, Benson." Gabe told his friend.

Freddie sighs as he turns to Millie who looked nervous. "Of all people Millie, I was kind of expecting a hug from you."

"I just don't want to hug you and accidentally pull anything." She said nervously.

"You're not gonna pull anything." Freddie replied, opening his arms for an embrace. Millie hugs him only to have him yell out in pain. "Ah!"

"Oh! No! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" She yelps in fear.

"Psyche!" He replied which causes Millie to glare at him. Gabe laughs at this as Cassie stifles her laughter by biting her lip.

"That wasn't funny!" Millie snaps.

Gabe just shakes his head. "Good to know that super lightning didn't fry your sense of humor."

At that moment, a doctor walks into the room. He was of Hispanic decent with curly dark brown hair. he sees that Freddie was awake. "Mr Benson. Good to see you've finally woken up."

"It's a relief to all of us, Dr Mendoza." Cassie said to him.

Freddie grins weakly as Dr Mendoza walks over to him. He begins to examine him by checking his pupils. "Do you know how lucky you are to be alive, Mr Benson?"

"It's been mentioned a few times." Freddie replied.

"Young man, you survived a direct lightning strike that hit you center in the chest." Dr Mendoza explained, checking Freddie's vitals. "To speak quite frankly, you should be a smear on that roof."

Cassie, Millie and Gabe look at Freddie as the doctor continues his examination. "Doctor, do you think it'd be possible for Freddie to be able to leave the hospital today?" Cassie asked.

This statement catches Freddie's attention as Dr Mendoza finishes up. "Well, I've detected no physical abnormalities. Freddie has a strong heartbeat and seems to show no signs of any thermal burns which is incredibly surprising considering." The four waited for an answer. "He's free to leave whenever he feels he's ready."

"I'm more than ready." Freddie said excitedly.

"Good, I'll have Nurse Harris get your release forms ready." Dr Mendoza said as he makes his way out.

Freddie stares at his aunt and the two share an understanding. They both didn't like hospitals.

•••

Freddie came out of from the bathroom in his room, he was out of his hospital gown and dressed in gray polo shirt with dark jeans, clothes Cassie had brought him in case he woke up. He was still trying to process what had happened to him, surviving something that should have killed him. The more important question running through his head was why did he survive. There had to be a reason why.

He breathes deeply when there's a knock at the door, making him lose his train of thought. "I'm almost ready, give me a sec."

The door opens and he looks up to find Jane Louis entering the room with a brown paper bag. She was wearing a black top with loose bell-sleeves and pink jeans with black high heels.

"Jane?" Freddie asked. "Hi."

"Hey." Jane looks happy to see he was awake. "You're awake."

"Uh yeah." He replied. "What are you doing here?"

Jane walks completely into the room. "I came to see you."

"I know that" Freddie told her. "What I meant was how did you know I was in the hospital?"

"When you didn't call me after the party, I tried calling you but you didn't answer. I got a little worried." Jane explained. "Then I heard about what happened on the roof of the library. A science experiment gone wrong. I remembered you told me you were going to help a professor with an experiment."

Freddie remembers this. "Right. I did tell you that."

"I came to the hospital looking for you to find out if you were all right and ran into your aunt, she explained everything." Jane told him. "I've been showing up here ever since. Hoping that you to wake up."

"Really?" Freddie asked.

"Well you do still owe me a lunch date but I'll wait for my prize as soon as you're up for it." Jane said with a smile.

"I'm just glad you didn't think I stood you up." Freddie replied which makes Jane smile. "What's everyone at school been saying about what happened?"

"Not much, City Tech is being very secretive about it." She replied. "Think they're trying to hide this from the public."

"Guess it be bad PR to find out a student got struck by lightning on campus." He stated.

"I don't think it had anything to do with you. Think it had something to do with that professor guy." Jane said.

"Professor Dahl?" Freddie had forgotten about unbalanced professor who was grievously injured during the botched experiment. "What about him?"

"All I've heard is that the guy had been let go from his teaching job months ago."

Freddie was taken aback. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "You sure?"

"They're saying he had become obsessed with his experiments and put a few of his students at risk." Jane told him. "The guy had been hiding on campus inside the library ever since he was fired."

Freddie was dumbfounded, how could he had been so stupid for trusting Professor Dahl. Granted, something about him didn't feel right. Maybe he should've trust his instincts.

"Um, what's that?" Freddie asked Jane, indicating to the brown paper bag.

Jane looks at the bag and at him. "Oh, I got you a get-well gift." She opens the bag and pulls out a small box, handing it to him.

Freddie opens the box and finds a black metallic arm band with two Japanese characters on them. "What's this?"

"Yesterday, I saw a street vendor selling these. It was this old Japanese woman who told me her bracelets offer the wearer good luck." Jane explained as she takes the bracelet and places it on Freddie's right wrist. "I know it seems bogus but it never hurts to have all the luck you can."

He grins as she finishes fastening the bracelet. "What do the characters stand for?"

"She told me they stood for Raijin who's the Japanese god of thunder and lightning." She said as Freddie raises an eyebrow.

"You pick it out?" He asked Jane.

"Actually she did. She told me that you are now connected with Raijin himself. I thought it was strange she said that but she was blind and didn't want to offend her." Jane said.

"I appreciate the thought, thank you." Freddie replied.

She smiles and takes his hand. All of a sudden, an arc of electricity shocks her and causes her to rear back in pain. "Ow!"

"Oh man, what happened?" Freddie asked her.

"You shocked me." Jane replied laughing a bit. "That's some killer static electricity."

"Yeah, static electricity." Freddie replied still thrown by what had happened. "Sorry."

"Relax, it's not like you can control electricity or anything." Jane said with a grin. Freddie laughs nervously. "I gotta get back to class. Call me when you can."

"You bet." Freddie said as Jane leaves. He looks down at his hands, trying to figure out what just happened.

•••

In another part of the hospital, Emil Dahl laid in a hospital bed, heavily bandaged and restrained to his bed. There were two armed guards standing outside he door.

After his latest incident, the authorities were not taking any chances he'll get free and hurt anyone else.

Dahl looks down as his bandaged hand and sees something odd underneath the bandages, not his normal skin but something metallic.

His eyes widen in horror as his eyes spark with energy. He begins screaming like a mad man

•••

Freddie enters his dorm room followed by Gabe, Cassie and Millie. He sees that his stuff had been put away as he turns to face Cassie. "Did you do this?"

"Well, I had to do something after visiting hours were up." Cassie told him. "I had help though."

Freddie looks at his friends and smiles. "Listen. With everyone being so worried about me, maybe I should be the one asking how you guys are doing."

Millie and Gabe stare at each other then look back at Freddie. Millie spoke up. "There was a split second we thought you weren't going to make it."

"It takes a lot to freak me out, Benson." Gabe replied. "And with all honesty, you scared the crap out of me."

"It scared all of us." Cassie replied as Freddie turns to look at her. "We aren't just saying 'you're lucky to be alive'. We mean it."

Freddie closes his eyes and rubs the bridge of his nose with his left hand. Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"I'll get it." Gabe said, making his way to the door. He opens it and finds a tall man of Filipino descent wearing a dark suit. "Oh. It's you."

"Good to see you too, Gabriel." The man said to him.

Millie and Cassie recognize the voice and Millie walks towards the door. "Dad?"

"Sweetheart, what are you doing here? I thought you'd be in class." Her dad replied.

"Classes let out early. You'd know that if you'd ask." Millie said.

"Millicent, now isn't the time for this. I'm working." He told her as he looks at Freddie. "I'm Detective Victor Flores, I'd like to ask a few questions about what happened Monday night."

"We've already answered all of your questions the night of the accident. What else do you need to know, Detective?" Gabe answered.

"I was made aware that the third victim of this accident had awakened from his coma." Victor said, referring to Freddie. "If you are up to it, Mr Benson, I'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Okay." Freddie replied nervously.

"Mr Benson, did you have any prior knowledge of Emil Dahl's experiment?" Victor asked him.

"I was only aware that it had something to do with an operational Tesla coil." Freddie told him. "We has only met him that afternoon. We didn't know much about him before then."

"And you didn't know that it was a high powered device?" Victor said, sounding bitter which the others noticed.

"No sir, the variables weren't made known to us until we had arrived on the roof." Freddie stated. "By then, it was already too late to prevent any kind of damage caused by the energy the coil produced."

"Including the injuries you sustained?" Victor asked.

"Yeah." Freddie answered, becoming mildly agitated. The lights in the room flicker which Cassie, Millie and Gabe notice.

"One last question, did you not realize the danger you had put the others in your company?" Victor asked, becoming spiteful.

Freddie glares at him, he didn't like the tone he was taking.

"Victor, may I have a word with you." Cassie replied, sounding extremely ticked off. "Now!"

Victor follows Cassie out of the dorm. Millie walks over to Freddie and puts her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm really sorry. My dad can be a jerk sometimes." Millie replied.

Freddie fakes a smile. He gets up and goes to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.

•••

Outside the dorm, Cassie was face to face with Victor.

"What the hell was that?" Cassie asked.

"I was doing my job, Ms Sinclair." Victor told her.

"Really, 'cause that sounded to me like you were interrogating him, not questioning him." Cassie asked angrily. "My nephew survived something that should've killed him. Would it kill you have some kind of compassion?"

"His actions put my daughter in harm's way, Cassandra." Victor said to her.

"Really, I thought that you could separate duty and your family." Cassie snapped at him. Victor glares at her. "I understand you're extremely protective of Millie after what happened to Yvette but don't attack my family to do it because you know full well that won't win that fight."

Victor nods at Cassie. "Ever the pitbull, aren't you Cassie."

"So you know full well that my bite is way worse than my bark?" She told him.

"I'm aware." Victor replied as he hands her a business card. "Tell your nephew to call me if he remembers anything else. I promise it won't be as hostile as it was. Tell Millie I'll be downstairs waiting to take her home."

Cassie nods as she walks back into the dorm, closing the door in Victor's face.

•••

Freddie was pacing around the bathroom, still feeling agitated. He didn't understand why he was feeling like this. He's normally more calm and even tempered when dealing with someone getting in his face. Maybe this was post traumatic stress disorder or something like it that was making him feel like this.

Freddie hears a knock on the door. "Freddie, are you okay?" Cassie asked through the door.

"I'm fine. Give me a minute." Freddie called out.

Freddie turns on the sink faucet and he places his hands underneath the running water... until he rears back in pain. He looks down at his hands and sees arcs of electrical energy coming from his fingertips.

His eyes widen in horror at the sight. Freddie took deep breaths and shut his eyes, hoping this was just his imagination. He slowly opens his eyes and sees the energy was gone.

He quickly turns off the faucet and walks out of the bathroom.

Cassie was sitting on his bed and Millie and Gabe were gone.

"Where is everybody?" Freddie inquired his aunt.

"I kinda chased the good detective off and Gabe escorted Millie downstairs. Her dad's taking her home." Cassie said.

"Those two are together and they haven't tried to kill each other yet?" Freddie stated as he sat down next to her.

"They've been a bit more civil around each other." she replied. "Ever since-"

"My accident?" Freddie said frankly. Cassie was surprised by how calm her nephew was. "You don't have to walk on eggshells just to spare my feelings."

"So, this means you're feeling better then?" She asked him.

Freddie nods "Yeah, why?"

Suddenly, Cassie punches him the shoulder. "Ow!"

Cassie hugs her nephew. "Don't you ever scare me like that again, okay?"

Freddie stares at his left hand, still freaked out by what had happened to him in the bathroom. "I promise."

•••

Gabe and Millie exited the elevator on the first floor of the Hotel St George. The two of them remained quiet the entire elevator ride and were still silent until Gabe spoke up when he sees her dad waiting for her outside. "I see there's no love lost between my family and your dad."

"Can you really blame him?" Millie said, seeming to be distracted.

"What's wrong?" He asked, noticing her agitation. "Something is bothering you."

"I don't know what you're talking about?" Millie said, trying to hide something from him.

"And you have the World's Worst Poker Face." Gabe quips. "Out with it, Flores. What's up?"

"This is going to sound stupid." Millie began.

"Let me be the judge." Gabe said smugly. "Spill."

Millie rolls her eyes. "Fine. You haven't noticed anything strange going on with Freddie?"

"As strange as the guy surviving getting hit by lightning?" Gabe asked.

"I'm serious. Did you not see the lights flicker as my dad was questioning him?" She asked.

"It's an old building, Mills. The wiring must be shot." He said, making excuses. Millie raises an eyebrows. "Of all people, I never would've thought you would make the leap to the 'he must have gotten super powers' theory."

"And I'm surprised you haven't, Mr 'I Own Every Copy of The Amazing and Spectacular Spider-Man and Superior Spider-Man is pure blasphemy.'" Millie quips. "Freddie survived a laboratory experiment gone wrong, there's more to this and you know it."

Gabe lets out an exasperated breath. "Tell you what, if I see anything weird between now and the next time I see you, I'll let you know."

Millie pokes him in the chest "You'd better."

She exits the hotel and hugs her dad as he observes them talking.

Gabe lets out a sigh and heads back into the elevator.

•••

Gabe enters the dorm and finds Freddie doing some class work. "Oh, oh no." Gabe said which catches Freddie's attention and look up. "You are not seriously studying right now."

"I'm like three days behind. I do have to catch up you know." Freddie told his roommate.

Gabe walks over to him and closes the textbook Freddie was reading from. "You just got out of the hospital, Benson. The least you can do is give your brain some much needed non-chemically induced rest."

"And what do you purpose I do?" Freddie asked.

"How about we grab something to drink, think there's a Groovy Smoothie just around the corner from the hotel." Gabe said tossing Freddie his jacket.

Freddie gives in and puts on his jacket. "Fine, but you're buying."

Gabe laughs as they head out the door.

•••

Cassie was walking back to her apartment, still relieved that Freddie was awake and okay. She still couldn't believe how lucky he was. Part of her felt like something was troubling him. She'd give him some breathing room before she starts asking him questions.

"You're back." A voice called and Cassie turns around to find Pete Sawyer standing outside of the open door to his apartment.

Cassie smiles at her handsome neighbor. "I am."

"How's your nephew?" He asked "Freddie gotten any better?"

"Actually, you'll be happy to know Freddie finally woke up." Cassie told Pete.

"That's great. Is he still at the hospital recovering?" He asked

Cassie shakes her head. "Nope. In fact, he's left the hospital and has gone back to his dorm."

"Whoa, kid bounced back quick." Pete exclaimed.

"Tell me about it. It must be in the genes." Cassie joked. "Resiliency tends to run in his father's side of the family."

"So what runs in his mother's side?" Pete asked curiously.

"Irrational neurosis." Cassie joked, causing Pete to laugh. "So, um, you mind if I ask you a question?"

"Feel free." He retorts.

"Why do you seem so interested in how my nephew is doing?" Cassie asked. "No offense but the condition of your neighbor's relatives shouldn't have to be your top priority."

Pete nods, understanding her point. "I saw how it was affecting you. For the past few days, you've been coming home from the hospital as if the weight of the world was resting on your shoulders. Figure you wouldn't mind someone taking some of that burden off you for a moment."

"Wow." Cassie said sounding mildly impressed.

Pete raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"That is honestly the most forthright answer I've ever heard from any guy regarding any sort of question I've asked." She said smiling. "It's like you are trying really hard to be my knight in shining armor."

"Just trying to be a good friend. Besides, it wasn't like I was expecting the Spanish Inquisition." He replied with a laugh.

"Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition." Cassie stated but after a moment realized what she had said. "I said that out loud, didn't I?"

Pete nods. "Yeah."

"Jeez, I don't know why I say words." Cassie said, facepalming her forehead.

"No, it's okay. It was actually kind of adorable." Pete replied which makes Cassie smile. "It just so happens that I am a big fan of Monty Python."

"Please, you're talking to the girl who wore out a VHS copy of 'Monty Python and the Holy Grail' because I watched it so many times when I was a kid." Cassie bragged. "I've even seen Spamalot on Broadway twice."

Pete smiles with amusement. "You haven't by any chance had dinner, have you?"

"No I haven't, I left Freddie's dorm in such a hurry, I neglected to pick up anything." Cassie stated. "Why do you ask?"

"Well I was wondering if I could take you across the street and invite you to dinner." Pete replied. "Unless you think I'm being too forward."

Cassie giggles. "I would be more than happy to join you for dinner."

Pete smiles as the two of them walk out of the hallway together.

•••

Freddie and Gabe were inside the Groovy Smoothie that was close to the Hotel St George. They each had a smoothie in front of them but Gabe seemed reluctant to drink his. Freddie sipped some of his and saw his roommate's hesitance. "Dude, just try it. It's a weird combo I know but it's not that bad."

"Than why didn't you order one too?" Gabe asked.

"'Cause I felt like Strawberry-Banana. Come on, would I steer you wrong?" Freddie asked.

"Maybe, I've only known you for four days and three of them you were in a coma." Gabe quipped. Freddie gave him a withering look. "Fine." He sips the smoothie and a surprised look falls on his face as he finishes drinking. "Dude!"

"Exactly!" Freddie exclaimed.

"Who would've thought mango, wheat grass and peanut butter made a good combo." Gabe said. "How did you come up with it?"

"Wasn't me. Sam was trying to prank by having T-Bo mix those things together. Joke was on her because I actually liked it." Freddie told him. "And then she got herself some payback by pushing me into a bike messenger."

"Dang, that Puckett girl is hardcore." Gabe replied.

"You have no idea." Freddie laughed. "The irony there is that incident caused her to start to have feelings for me."

Gabe shakes his head as he sips his drink again. He looks up and sees Ricky (the guy who beat the two of them up on Monday) enter the GS with two of his buddies. "Freddie, I'm thinking we need to make a hasty exit."

Freddie turns around as Ricky sees the two of them. "Yeah, I think it's a little too late for that."

Ricky grabs a chair and sits between Freddie and Gabe. "Are these seats taken?"

"Nope because we were just leaving." Gabe said as he and Freddie get up to leave. Before they could go, Ricky grabs Freddie by the shirt collar.

"No, stay. We're all friends here." Ricky said, turning Freddie to face him.

"I don't have time for this. I just got out the hospital-"

"Oh, was it because of something I did, precious?" Ricky joked.

"No, you know about that guy who got struck by lightning on the roof of the library." Freddie explained as Ricky nods. "That was me." That statement caused Ricky and his friends to become puzzled. "So frankly, I'm not in the mood to start anything with you."

Freddie manages to get free so he and Gabe can leave the Groovy Smoothie. "Hey, I wasn't done talking-" Ricky goes to grab Freddie again only to have Freddie quickly grab him by his shirt collar and shove Ricky against a wall.

"Wrong guy, wrong day." Freddie hissed as he held a firm grip on Ricky, holding him up a good seven inches off the ground.

Ricky stares wide eyed at Freddie as his friends, the other patrons and especially Gabe stare at this sight quite bewildered. Freddie is a good 5'7 while Ricky is almost 6'3. The fact Freddie was able to do this was a phenomenal feat to behold.

"Benson?" Gabe spoke to get through to his friend. "Freddie? Freddie?!"

Freddie snaps out of the surge of adrenaline that went through him. He realizes what he's doing and lets go of Ricky who falls to floor.

Ricky's friends go to help him up but Ricky shoves them away as he stares at Freddie with sheer horror on his face. "Freak" was the only word he uttered before leaving the Groovy Smoothie with his friends in tow.

Freddie was shell shocked by what he had just done. He stares at his hands then back at Gabe who hands Freddie his smoothie which he takes. Freddie begins to walk out of the GS as a eight year old boy taps Freddie on the arm.

"Mister, how did you do that?" The boy asked.

Freddie came up with a bogus answer. "Eat your vegetables." With that statement, he left.

"That's what my mom always tells me to do." The boy exclaimed.

Gabe laughs nervously as he follows Freddie out. "Millie will never let me hear the end of this one." he mumbled under his breath as he exits the restaurant.

•••

At the hospital, a young nurse with short brown hair makes her way to Emil Dahl's room but sees no sign of the armed guards. She goes closer to the door and sees a puddle of blood running underneath the door.

The nurse is unnerved by this as she slowly opens the door. What she sees causes her to let out a bloodcurdling scream.

•••

Freddie was lying on his bed back at the dorm. He was trying to fall asleep but having difficulty. After he and Gabe came back to the dorm, Freddie worked on the classwork without so much as a peep from Gabe. Maybe what happened at the Groovy Smoothie freaked him out.

Freddie had so many thoughts racing through his mind. The strange occurrences that happened to him yesterday were taking their toll. What was happening to him?

Just as he shut his eyes to finally sleep, the alarm on his Pearphone rings to wake him up. Freddie groans with frustration. Part of him hated that Gabe was holding on to his phone the night of the accident, saving it from annihilation caused by the bolt.

Freddie looks over and sees Gabe wasn't in his bed. He hadn't pegged Gabe for a morning person.

Out of nowhere, Freddie began hearing strange electronic feedback in his ears. He grabs his ears in pain, hoping to drown out the noise but he realized the noise was in his head.

When the noise stops, he gets his bearings and heads into the bathroom.

•••

Freddie was standing next to the running shower, wearing nothing but a towel. After the surreal moment with the sink faucet yesterday, he was worried to hop in the shower.

Freddie takes a deep and quickly gets into the shower, shutting the shower door and throwing the tool over the door. Nothing happens. He breathes in a sigh of relief as he begins to wash up.

That peace however was short lived when Freddie's arms begin to spark with electrical energy like they did yesterday.

•••

Freddie's howl of pain echoes as the lights in that floor flicker on and off.

A few students stick their heads out of their rooms and wonder what was going on.

•••

Millie and Gabe were in the main quad of City Tech. They both look troubled. Millie is wearing a short sky blue dress with a jean jacket over it and white flats and was pacing back and forth. Gabe is wearing a gray T-shirt with his black leather jacket over it and dark blue jeans with black boots and stood in place as he watched Millie pace.

Millie stops and turns to Gabe. "Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure, I was kinda there." Gabe replied.

"And he picked him up?" Millie asked, still in disbelief.

"Almost a foot off the ground. Freddie went all Batman on Ricky." Gabe told her. "And I'm talking Christian Bale Batman."

"There's a difference?" Millie replied quizzically.

"I'm going to pretend like I didn't hear that." He said to her as she rolled her eyes. "The point is that Freddie picked up a guy who outweighs him by thirty-five pounds and held him there."

"So, now do you believe me?" Millie asked.

"That there's a SLIGHT chance that Freddie Benson has gained superpowers?" Gabe stated and after a brief pause. "Maybe."

"What we do?" Millie asked. "We can't just confront him. We don't know how he's going to react."

"Mills, relax. This is Fredward Benson, not Dr Bruce Banner." Gabe stated.

"You're lucky I saw the Avengers because I know who THAT is." She replied.

He ignores the remark. "Look, let's just bite the bullet and tell him we know. Maybe we can help him."

"How? We aren't equipped with handling this." Millie told him. "I think we should go to the authorities?"

"And tell them what?" Gabe asked until it hits him. "Wait a sec. You want to tell your dad, don't you?"

"No!" Millie replied but then said. "Maybe. I think he could help. He could contact people who can help him."

"Like the government? You can't be serious." Gabe replied, taken aback by this. "You want your dad to send a bunch of scary guys in dark suits after Freddie and have them drag him to some government facility so he can spend the rest of his life being poked and prodded like a lab rat?"

"You've seen way too many movies." Millie replied.

"I'm thinking like a scientist, Millie. What do you think is going to happen when a bunch of ego-centeric, fame hungry scientists get their hands on an actual 'superman'?" he asked her. She started weighing the scenario. "Do you think they're going let him live his life as if he weren't different? No, they'll brutally experiment on Freddie until it either drives him insane or the process ends up killing him. Do you think that's the kind of help he needs?"

Millie bites her lip. He was right and she knew it. "I hate it when you make sense."

Gabe smiles. "Let's just talk to him and be supportive. That's what good friends are supposed to do, right?"

"Wow, you of all people are the one giving me a lecture on being a good friend?" Millie said, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Strange times." Gabe said as he turns to see Freddie walking towards them.

Freddie was wearing a dark green button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbow and dark jeans. He looks rather pale but his hair was combed up a bit.

"Hey!" Millie said cheerfully.

Freddie waved, his body seeming to be racked in pain. "Dude, you all right?"

"I'm fine." Freddie said, trying hard to conceal the pain he was in. His friends look concerned for their friend's condition.

"You don't like fine." Millie asked. "Hey, um is there anything you need to talk about?"

"Actually, right now I'd like to get to class if that's okay?" Freddie said as he goes towards an academics building and he looks back at his friends. "You guys coming?"

"We'll be right there." Gabe said as Freddie walks off. "We talk to him after classes are done."

"No arguments here." Millie retorts as they go to follow Freddie to the academics building.

•••

Cassie made her way into a police precinct. She wore a black long sleeved top underneath her tan leather jacket and dark jeans with black boot. She tries to avoid the busy individuals rushing by her.

As she looks around, Cassie sees who she was looking for - Detective Victor Flores who was sitting at his desk reading a file.

"So, care to tell me why you dragged me out of bed before noon?" Cassie asked. "I'm a nite owl, Vic. I don't like my sleep cycle being disrupted."

Victor gestures to the chair in front of his desk. "Have a seat, Cassandra."

Cassie sits down in the chair. "You sounded pretty serious over the phone and judging by the look on your face, you didn't call me here for a friendly chat. What's going on?"

"Emil Dahl." Victor replied.

"The professor who was responsible for what happened to Freddie, your daughter and Gabe Morgan? Also known as the man I'd like to mop the floor with... literally." Cassie said bluntly. She sees that his demeanor didn't change. This was serious. "What about him?"

"You were made aware of the fact that he was police custody?" Victor replied and Cassie nods. "Last night a nurse found a pool of blood outside Dahl's room. She found out that Dahl had broken from his restraints and was nowhere to be found." He hands Cassie a few crime scene photos. "She also found the two guards who were brutally killed."

Cassie stares at the photos and lets out a gasp. "Are those-"

"Their heads, twisted clean off their bodies. I'm afraid so." Victor said. "We believe Dahl was the person responsible for this brutality."

"How? I mean, seriously, this is physically impossible." Cassie stated.

"That isn't the reason why I contacted you." Victor told her. "We have reason to believe that he may be coming for the survivors of the accident, more specifically your nephew Fredward."

Cassie looks shocked. How was she going to be able to protect Freddie from a man who could commit this kind of violence and brutality.

•••

Freddie and Gabe enter one of the few classes they have together - computer engineering. Professor Jenkins, the class's instructor, was talking to a student. She was in her late forties with short reddish brown hair wearing a navy blue pants suit.

The student she was speaking to turns around, indicating she was done speaking to the professor. The student looks at Freddie and Gabe as they see the student was Jane Louis.

She smiles brightly walks over to the boys. "Hey."

"Hey." Freddie replied weakly.

"Are you all right?" Jane asked worriedly. "You look pale."

"I'm fine." Freddie told her. He looks over at Gabe. "I don't think the two of you have been formally introduced. Jane, this is my friend Gabe Morgan. Gabe, this is Jane Louis."

"Nice to meet you." Gabe said as he extends her hand which Jane takes and the two shake hands. "So you're taking computer engineering?"

"Yeah." Jane replied.

"But you're hot." Gabe bluntly said which causes Freddie give him an annoyed stare.

"So there's no such thing as hot smart girls?" Jane replied.

Gabe tried to find words to make up for the slip up but became flustered. "I didn't- I wasn't- It's-"

"Real smooth, Casanova." Freddie joked which makes Jane laugh and causes Gabe to glare at him.

"If you must know, I got into this school based on my work with cybernetics and servomechanism." Jane gloated.

"That's impressive." Gabe replied.

"Thank you." Jane said as she looks at Freddie who was rubbing his forehead in pain. "Are you sure you're okay? You don't look so good."

"I said I'm fine!" Freddie yelled, catching Jane and Gabe off guard. He looks guiltily at her. "I'm sorry."

"No, it all right. You've been through a lot." She told him as she sees the gift around his wrist which makes her smile.

The students begin to get into their seats as Professor begins to speak. "Class, today we'll be taking a look at the programming designs for your own applications for electronic devices which I assume is something most of you could do in your sleep." She looks up and sees Freddie who was opening a notebook. "Mr Benson, I've been made aware of your accident but don't think you'll be allowed a grace period-"

"I know." Freddie replied as he hand her his notebook. "Which is why I made plans for a retinal recognition application for the Pearphone. It allows for the user to gain access to certain items for instance contact information by doing a retinal scan."

Professor Jenkins didn't seem impressed. "And you came up with this-"

"Last night." Freddie said bluntly.

"Is that so?" She asked him as Gabe and Jane look on.

Freddie nods. "Yes ma'am. I did."

Professor Jenkins nods in approval as Gabe whispers something to Freddie. "Hope this app works out better than the 3D tech you came up with."

Freddie rolls his eyes at his comment.

"Mr Morgan, care to share with us your application software proposal." Professor Jenkins replied.

"Well, Professor, I don't feel like blowing Benson's idea out of the water." Gabe said as he pulls out a sheet of paper. "But I've designed a frequency scanner that could check electromagnetic pulses of multiple ranges."

"And how would this be of practical use?" Professor Jenkins asked.

As Gabe explain his theory, Freddie began to hear the feedback he heard before. He looked around to try to pinpoint the noise but suddenly the noise began to sound like a transmission. A message.

'Can't w 2nite'

It was someone's text message, but he was seeing it inside his head. How was he doing this?

After a moment, Freddie saw another one.

'Make it worth my while, doll'

The next message that he 'saw' made him giggle which caught the professor's attention.

"Mr Benson, is there something you'd like to share with the rest of the class?" She asked.

Freddie realized what he did and quickly covered his tracks. "Sorry, I was thinking of something I saw on 'That's a Drag', still can't believe that show got cancelled."

"Oh. Just make sure to keep your laughter to yourself." Professor Jenkins told him.

Freddie saw another message scroll through his mind's eye.

'Mills, we need to talk to him SOON! I think he's getting worse!"

He looks over at Gabe who faked a smile. Did he know something?

•••

After classes ended for the day, Freddie, Gabe and Millie enter the boys' dorm. The three of them both look as if there was something weighing at them. Neither spoke for a good minute until Freddie spoke up. "Go ahead. Whatever it is you two want to talk to me about, just go right ahead and ask me."

Millie and Gabe stare at each other then back at Freddie. "How did you know we needed to talk to you?"

Freddie turns to Gabe. "I saw your text message."

Gabe seems confused. "I never showed you any message."

"I-I can't explain it. It's like I saw the message in my head." Freddie explained. "I've seeing other stuff - e-mails, text messages, I even saw a picture message a girl sent her boyfriend. It was her wearing bunny ears, a smile and not much else."

Gabe chuckles, imagining the picture. Millie rolls her eyes. "You're saying you saw his text message in your head?"

Freddie nods.

"I think I've read about that somewhere. Forgot what it's called." Gabe said as he tried to think when he snaps his fingers as if he had the idea. "It's called cyberpathy. The ability to intercept, generate, and interpret electronic, digital, and radio transmissions with one's mind."

"Where'd you read that? Uncanny X-Men?" Millie joked.

"No, Scientific American." Gabe replied. "They also say the only way to achieve this is to be able to access certain frequencies using electromagnetic pulses." They turn their attention back to Freddie who was but biting his lip.

"That isn't the only strange thing that's been happening." Freddie told them.

Gabe spoke up. "Yeah, I already told Millie how you Hulked Out on Ricky yesterday."

"Let him finish." Millie ordered Gabe as Freddie begins pacing around. "Freddie, what is it? What's wrong?"

Freddie turns to face his friends and holds up his hands. All of a sudden, His hands began to spark with arcs of electrical energy. Millie places her hand over her mouth and Gabe stares at this with wide eyes. Freddie looks back at his friends, looking for conformation.

"You guys are seeing this too, right? Because if you're not, I've officially lost my mind." Freddie said with his voice quivering with panic as the electricity continued running over his hands.

Millie and Gabe stare at Freddie when there was a knock at the door. Gabe walks closer to the door and calls out "Who is it?"

"Gabe, it's Cassie! Is Freddie there?" Cassie's voice called through the door.

Freddie's eyes widen as he tries to shut off the electricity coursing through his hands. He wrings his hands as if that would help.

"Give me a minute, Cass." Freddie yelled in a panicked tone.

"Is everything all right in there?" Cassie asked.

The trio exchange concerned glances as Freddie tries shutting down the energy.

"Everything's fine. Just give like ten seconds." He said as the electricity subsides and goes back into his body. He nods to Gabe to signal for him to open the door.

Cassie stands outside the door with her arms crossed over her chest and sees the three of them trying to play it cool. "Okay. What was that all about?" Each of them simultaneously tried to come up with an excuse but Cassie raised her hand. "Never mind. Don't wanna know."

Cassie walks in and Gabe shuts the door behind them. "What's up, Cassie?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah, Mama Cass, you look like you've seen something you didn't want to see." Gabe replied.

"You'd be right on that one, Richie Rich." Cassie said as Gabe just smirks. She turns to look at Millie. "I just got back from your dad's precinct."

"Oh no, please tell me my dad didn't try to arrest you or anything, did he?" Millie replied with a concerned tone.

"No, no. Your dad and I are equal terms right now." Cassie stated. "He gave some news that should be of concern to you three but more specifically Freddie."

"What is it?" Freddie asked.

"Emil Dahl escaped from police custody last night." Cassie told them. "A nurse found that he had broken out of his restraints and left the hospital."

The trio looked petrified - Millie let out a gasp, Gabe brushed the hair out of his face and Freddie stood there in silence.

"Are you sure?" Freddie spoke.

"Yeah... and it gets worse." Cassie stated. "Victor told me that Dahl could be looking for some payback against you guys."

The lights flicker again which confuses Cassie but worries Millie and Gabe.

"H-he was in no condition to be going anywhere, how did he escape?" Freddie asked as he was plagued with panic.

"I don't know. But if you think that's bad, it gets much worse." She told them.

"How could it get worse than some lunatic professor on the loose who potentially has some kind of vendetta against us." Gabe asked as Cassie pulls out her Pearphone.

After pushing a few buttons, she hands the phone to Freddie. "Victor showed me these crime scene photos. I snapped a few pics of them when he wasn't looking."

The three stare at the pictures in utter disbelief. "A-are those their-" Millie began but was stopped while trying to stop herself from gagging.

"Yeah, Dahl ripped their heads off. Almost like he twisted them clean off." Cassie said as Gabe takes the phone from Freddie's hand.

"But that's... impossible." Freddie stated as he tried to piece all this together. "No human being can do that!"

The lights flicker again.

Cassie looks around. "There something going on with your lights?"

"Uh yeah, it's an old building." Gabe said covering for his roomie. "The breakers must be shorting out or something."

Cassie stares at them, she wasn't buying it.

"Gabe, it's okay. I have to tell her sooner or later." Freddie replied.

"Tell me what?" She asked.

Gabe and Millie look on as Freddie holds out both his hands. "I think the lightning did something to me."

Cassie watches as Freddie's hands spark with arcs of electrical energy. His eyes began to glow with an electric blue aura that shocks Gabe and Millie. The energy from his hands began to form a small energy ball. Cassie, Millie and Gabe watch in awe as he claps his hands together and the energy disappears in a small burst.

Freddie lets in a few breaths of exhaustion. What he did took a lot out of him.

Cassie looks at him and gives him a warm smile. She walks over to Freddie and hugs him. "Cassie, I'm freaking out."

"It's okay, I understand, more than you know." Cassie told him as she pulls away and looks at him dead the eye. "But I'm going to help you. I promise."

"We'll help you too." Millie replied which caught Freddie and Cassie's attention.

"Yeah, no sense you having all the fun, Benson." Gabe replied.

Cassie looks at them then back at Freddie. She was sympathetic to her nephew's plight.

•••

That night, Freddie was finally getting a decent night's sleep. After he talked with his friends and Cassie about his developing superpowers, a weight lifted off him but now there was new one place on him. Professor Dahl was now on the loose and had killed two people in an incredibly impossible way. Did his exposure to the electromagnetic field from the coil give Dahl powers like it did with him? If so, would his own powers turn Freddie into a homicidal maniac? There were so many questions but very little answers.

Freddie began having a strange dream. He was in a dark tunnel like hallway. It was cold and damp. Something told him it wasn't a good idea to be down there.

Unexpectedly, Freddie heard low sobs that sounded as if someone was crying. Freddie called out, sounding strange because of the echo. "Hello? Is someone here?"

He hears a faint female voice begging and pleading for their life.

"Please just let me go. Please!"

Freddie recognized the voice. "Millie? Millie is that you?"

All of a sudden, a shrill bloodcurdling scream is heard and Freddie runs towards the screaming. He rounds the corner only to be shoved hard against the cement wall by an unknown force.

Freddie looks around, a deep gash forms on his forehead, as he sees a shadowy figure standing over Millie who was strapped to a surgical table. He tried to get to his feet but found his left leg was broken and caused him to fall to his knees.

Millie struggles in vain to get free as the figure hold a metallic like surgical instrument against her face. Freddie gets a good look and sees it wasn't a surgical instrument, it was an elongated metallic finger.

"This'll only hurt for a second." The figure's voice said in an electronic sounding tone.

Millie screams in horror and the screaming caused Freddie to wake up from his nightmare.

Freddie sat upright and looks around, realizing it was only a dream. He sees a glowing electric blue light as he looks at his hand which were again sparking with electricity.

He looks over and sees Gabe is still sound asleep. He then looks back down at his hands and the energy had disappeared. He lies back down and tries going back to sleep.

•••

Gabe and Freddie were riding the subway Saturday morning, the day after Freddie revealed his condition to his friends and his aunt. There were no classes that day and Millie had the weekend off at work.

"What do you think she meant?" Gabe spoke up. Freddie was wearing a long sleeved T-shirt and sweat pants and Gabe wore a black shirt with blue jeans. Freddie seemed a bit distant. Distracted by the strange he had. Gabe snaps his fingers in front of him. "Earth to Fredward!"

Freddie snaps out of it. "Sorry. I was somewhere else."

"I gathered that." Gabe joked.

"What were you saying?" Freddie asked.

"I asked you what do you think Cassie meant when she said she understood what you were going through." Gabe said. "Seems a tad odd don't you think?"

"It would have been, back when my life made sense." Freddie retorts as the train came to a stop. "Now I'm not too sure. Is this our stop?"

Gabe nods as they and several other passengers got off the subway. "Cassie did seem really chill about the whole thing. What does that say to you?"

"Says she is the most calm parental figure I've ever had." Freddie told him. "Believe me, if that had been my mom, she would've taken me to a bunch of doctors to try to fix me."

Gabe laughs as they walk up towards the street levels of the city. "Maybe there's something Cassie isn't telling you."

"Maybe." Freddie replied. He looks around, keeping a watchful eye around him. Ever since finding out Dahl was out there, Freddie had become more aware of his surroundings. "Look, I'm just glad that I was able to take a shower this morning without screaming."

"Gotta appreciate life's little victories." Gabe stated.

Millie was waiting on the street and she sneaks up on the boys. "Hey guys!" This startles an unsuspecting Gabe but Freddie felt her coming. Millie giggles mischievously. "Whoa, didn't think that would work."

The boys give her a look of annoyance when Freddie's eyes furrow. "What's up, Benson?"

"Cassie's sending me a text of where she wants us to meet her." Freddie stated. Freddie's phone chimes, he pulls it out and shows it to Gabe and Millie. They see that the just received message was what Freddie said it was.

"No way!" Millie replied.

"That's amazing." Gabe said. "You're getting good at that."

Freddie grins as the trio begins walking down the street until they end up near an abandoned warehouse. "This is the place."

Millie observes the condition of the building. "Did Cassie say why she wanted us to meet her here?"

"Well before she left yesterday, she said she wanted help me with my powers." Freddie told her.

The three of them look at each other as Freddie opens the door to the warehouse. They walk inside and see Cassie had set up a training area inside. There was an open area for sparring, and a makeshift firing range made out of glass soda bottles.

"What do think?"

The trio looks around and find Cassie standing on an upper scaffolding. She was wearing a aqua blue sleeveless tank top and black workout pants with her hair pulled back in a ponytail.

"What is all this?" Freddie asked while Cassie walks down the stairs.

"I told you that I'm going to help you which is exactly what I'm going to do." Cassie replied.

"How?" Freddie asked.

"I'm gonna teach you how to fight." Cassie stated.

"Seriously?" He said with an incredulous tone. "How will that help me control my powers?"

"I've noticed that you're very tense. You don't get the chance to let out angry in a healthy manner." Cassie explained.

"That does explain the lights flickering whenever you get upset." Gabe answered. "You're a internal nervous wreck."

"I think that releasing that tension and channeling this energy will keep you from overloading... and shocking yourself when you get wet."

Freddie was interested in that prospect. "Fine but what about the- is that a firing range?"

"It wouldn't hurt to gauge your abilities." Cassie said. "Just so you can know what you're capable of. Also I'll bet Gabe has been chomping at the bit to get a chance run his own tests on your powers since he found out."

Gabe seems offended "I have-" Cassie, Freddie and Millie glare at Gabe who admits it "Fine, I was going to ask but I didn't want to come off as insensitive."

"Perish the thought." Millie quips and Gabe rolls his eyes.

Cassie motions Freddie to enter the sparring arena as Gabe and Millie watch. "So how do we do this?" Freddie asked his aunt.

"I'm gonna set one ground rule - you do exactly as I tell you. No exceptions or excuses." Cassie ordered him.

"Sure. What do you want me to do?" Freddie asked.

Cassie simply said. "Hit me."

Freddie looks reluctant. "I-I don't think I-" Without warning, Cassie slaps Freddie across the face. "Ow!"

"What did I tell you? Do as I say, okay?" Cassie ordered.

Freddie sighs as he swung at Cassie but she blocks his punches and she launches a few kicks which Freddie fearfully tries to avoid her kicks until he grabs her leg and he accidentally shocks her which causes her to rear back in pain.

Freddie looks apologetic "I'm sorry."

Cassie lets out a tiny smile. "Now I got something to work with. Let's go again."

Freddie nods, he wanted to continue.

[Soundtrack note -AWOLnation 'thiskidsnotalright' plays during this montage. Yes, it's a montage]

•••

Freddie stood in front of the homemade firing range. He looks nervous as he looks back at Cassie, Gabe and Millie who were behind an room standing in front of a glass window. "What's the point of this?"

"You need to develop precision." Cassie called out.

"Think of it as working on your sharpshooting skills." Gabe called out.

Freddie lets out a deep breath. "Okay, here goes." His hands fill with electrical energy and goes to take aim. He goes to shoot a soda bottle but his aim was off and hits the window where his friends and his aunt were in front of.

Fortunately they saw the lightning coming towards them and they duck out of the way. After a moment, the three individuals slowly look up and at Freddie who was worried about what just happened.

He said the only thing he could say. "Sorry!"

Millie and Gabe stare at Cassie who swallows hard.

•••

Millie observes this from a distance as Cassie and Gabe place a heavy piece of metal siding in front of Freddie who was skeptical of this exercise. "You can't be serious."

"I have a theory. I think your power has supercharged your body and given you enhanced strength. I believe you could make a dent on the side of this." Gabe replied.

"And that's just a theory, right? What if your wrong and I end up breaking my hand?" Freddie told them.

"It's called trial and error, my friend." Gabe retorts.

"And I'll take you to the emergency room if Gabe is wrong." Cassie reassured him.

Freddie sighs as Cassie and Gabe stood back a few feet. Millie walks over and stands a foot behind the metal side. He goes to punch it and actually punches through the metal, which causes Millie to yelp. Freddie stands in shock as he pulls his hand out. Gabe and Cassie walk over to the metal and observe the damage.

"Okay, that's different." Freddie said rubbing his hand which didn't have a scratch on it.

•••

The gang spent the next three days training and testing. After classes, they go back to the warehouse to continue their work.

Freddie seemed to be getting better in his sharpshooting as well as his sparring matches with Cassie, she still won though.

When he wasn't recovering from the tests and the sparring with Cassie, Freddie was doing some research online. He read a few articles on electricity but became distracted by watching videos online. People doing martial arts like Capoeria and MMA fight, Kung Fu movies, even people doing Parkour (or free running). He watched these videos with intense concentration.

•••

Freddie was trying to do pull ups on a hanging bar. He was having trouble. Cassie and Gabe were watching this and Millie was bored sitting on a chair.

"I don't think I can do this." Freddie called out, still hanging from the bar.

Gabe comes up with an idea. "Try using magnetic energy to lift yourself."

Freddie looks at Gabe and he turns back. He closes his eyes as he began to easily able to do at least fifteen pull ups as an invisible field surrounds him.

•••

Freddie was standing in the sparring area. Cassie was next to a table with a few sharp knives. Gabe and Millie watch this while standing behind Cassie.

"I'm going going to be testing your speed and reflexes." Cassie told her nephew.

"Okay. I trust you." Freddie said nervously. After the last few days of tough training and studying, he was ready for whatever was going to be thrown at him, literally.

Cassie picks up a knife and throws it at him but Freddie dodges it. She picks up two knives and throws them at her nephew who quickly dodges them. She throws one more knife which would've been impossible to dodge. Out of nowhere, Freddie catches the knife with his right hand.

This action stuns Millie and Gabe but impressed Cassie. "Nicely done."

Freddie stares at the knife he had just caught with a look of disbelief.

•••

Gabe and Millie sat and watch Cassie and Freddie are sparring only now Freddie seemed more confident. She goes for right-left combo punches only to have Freddie dodge each of them. Cassie smiles as delivers a few kicks which Freddie confidently avoids all but one which catches him in the abdomen and he is thrown to the ground.

Freddie lies on the floor, catching his breath. Cassie offers her hand to help him up. "Good job, 'A' for effort." Freddie took her hand but instead of letting her help him up, he uses his momentum to toss her over his head. Cassie rolls and lands on her back as Freddie uses his legs to get up.

"Who said we were done?" Freddie said confidently as Cassie got to her feet.

Cassie grins as she charges at him but Freddie slides the past her the opposite direction which catches Cassie off guard. He runs toward her and goes for a right cross but Cassie counters the move and pins his arm back. Freddie counters this by performing a leg trip takedown and he pins her to the ground.

"Whoa!" Gabe exclaimed as Millie remained speechless.

Freddie gets off his aunt who rolls up on her back, winded by the attack. She looks up at Freddie "Where did you learn to do that?"

"I saw it on the internet." Freddie answered, catching his breath. He offers his hand to help her up which she accepts.

[Soundtrack note - Song ends]

•••

Freddie and Millie walk towards the entrance to the subway. "I still can't believe you were able to do that." Millie replied.

"I'm still having a hard time believing all the stuff I'm finding out I can do." Freddie told her. Despite everything that he's done in the last few days, Freddie and his friends hadn't forgotten about Dahl who the police were still looking for but couldn't find. "Are you sure you want to take the subway on your own?"

"I've been taking the subway by myself for most of my life. I'll be fine." Millie reassured him. "I have to go to work or Mr Luzoni will have my head."

"Yeah, but I just don't want you going anywhere alone. Especially with Professor Dahl still on the loose." Freddie stated.

"I know but if he was going to try something, he would've done so by now." Millie pointed out. "Besides, I've got my own personal superhero watching my back. Why should I be worried."

Freddie smiles. "And you have WAY too much confidence in me."

Millie smiles and kisses him on the cheek but this causes a small spark of electricity to touch he lip. Freddie appears to be concerned.

"Oh, I am so sorry." He replied.

"It's okay. I'm fine." Millie told him as she started to go down to the stairs of the subway entrance. "You know you gotta stop doing that."

"Sorry, it's involuntary." Freddie said to her.

"Not that. Saying 'you're sorry'" With those words, she walks away.

Freddie smiles and walks up the street.

•••

Millie ran to her train moments before it left. There were no seats left and was forced to stand. One of the passengers caught her attention. It was a man with a good over his head and was wearing gloves on his hands. Millie tried to ignore the odd passenger as the next stop came up and a few people left her car.

As the subway became dark as it went through a tunnel, Millie noticed the hooded man went from the end of the car to the middle. She was a little unnerved by this as the train came to it's next stop. More people left her car and the only people left were Millie, the hooded stranger and an old woman with white hair pulled back in a ponytail.

Millie pulls an object out of her purse and sat down next to the woman. "Is it okay if I sit here?"

The woman nods as the train went through another tunnel. After the lights came back on, the stranger was sitting in front of Millie and the old woman.

Millie gasps as the train came to a halt to signal another stop. The stranger's eyes spark with energy as he looks at Millie. The old woman gets up to exit the train and Millie begins to follow her out.

Suddenly the stranger grabs Millie's arm. She sees the stranger's arm was metallic and so was some patches of skin on his face but she did recognized him - it was Professor Emil Dahl.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked in a menacing but metallic grain in his voice.

Millie quickly takes the object she took out of her purse - a can of pepper spray - and sprays Dahl in the eyes. He wails in pain as she gets free and runs out of the car.

She runs onto the crowded platform and up to the streets above.

Dahl watches as she leaves and walks after her.

•••

Cassie drove Freddie and Gabe back to the Hotel St George. Freddie and Cassie look a bit bruised but no worse for the wear. "Seriously, I should start recording your sparring sessions." Gabe joked.

"Oh! You'd better not!" Freddie said to his friend.

"How about next time we have a sparring match between you and Millie." Cassie retorts.

"No way! Don't let that face fool you, Millie has been taking judo since she was ten." Gabe replied. "And I bruise like peach."

Freddie turns to his aunt "I've been meaning to ask this for awhile, how did you learn to fight?"

Cassie bit her lip. "Um, your dad taught me how." Freddie was taken aback. "When we were growing up, he wanted me to be able to defend myself. So I wouldn't be anyone's victim."

"So if my mom hadn't scared my dad away l, he would've taught me how to do all that?" He asked.

"I don't know the reason why he left your mom but you would still be the same guy whether Lenny stayed or not." She reassured him.

Freddie's eyes furrow again as he pulls out his Pearphone. "I'm about to get a call from Millie." His phone rings as Cassie and Gabe see it is Millie calling.

"That never ceases to amaze me." Gabe said as Freddie answers his phone.

"Millie, what's up?" Freddie answered as he heard a terrified voice on the other end. "Slow down. What happened?"

"Professor Dahl attacked me on the subway." Millie told him and he became pale.

"A-are you all right?" Freddie asked as Gabe and Cassie became concerned.

"I'm okay. I pepper sprayed him and I managed to get away." Millie told him. "Th-there was something wrong with his face."

"What do you mean?" Freddie asked.

"It was like his skin was turning into metal." Millie told him which unsettled Freddie.

"Where are you?" He asked.

"I'm half a block away from Luzoni's." She stated.

"Um we'll be right there, Mills" Freddie told her.

"Okay." Millie quivered as she hung up her phone.

"What happened?" Gabe asked.

"Dahl attack Millie on the subway." Freddie told them. "I knew she shouldn't have gone alone."

"This isn't your fault, Freddie." Cassie replied.

"How fast can you get down there?" Freddie asked his aunt as the three of the got back into the car.

"Depending on traffic, about twenty minutes." Cassie told the boys as she started the car and drives off.

•••

Millie enters the restaurant but it was empty which was odd. She looks around and calls out "Mr Luzoni? Are you here?"

She goes to the kitchen area of the restaurant and found no one to be found. She rounds the corner and finds the cook on the ground with a sizable hole in his chest.

Millie rears back in horror and goes looking Mr Luzoni. She enters the walk-in cooler and finds Mr Luzoni lying on the floor. The overweight man in his late fifties with white hair was just lying there. She bends down and checks his pulse, he was thankfully alive.

Millie pulls out her phone and dials 911.

"911, what is your emergency?" a dispatcher asked.

"I-I found a body inside Luzoni's Italian Eatery. He's dead. I also found my boss in the walk-in cooler. He's alive but he is unconscious." Millie told the dispatcher.

"Does he have any injuries?" The dispatcher asked.

Millie checks and finds a gash on the side of Mr Luzoni's head. "Yeah, I think he took a blow to the head."

"Okay, stay on the line. An ambulance is on the way." The dispatcher told Millie.

All of a sudden, a pair of hands grabs Millie from behind and makes her drop the phone. Millie tried to scream but the figure behind her covered her mouth. She saw something odd on the attacker's hands - metallic skin.

It was Professor Dahl.

"Going somewhere?" He said as Millie's muffled screams are heard.

"Miss, are you still there? Miss?" The dispatcher's voice was heard saying as Dahl drags Millie away.

•••

Cast

Fredward 'Freddie Benson - Nathan Kress  
Cassandra 'Cassie' Sinclair - Melissa Archer  
Millicent 'Millie' Flores - Ashley Argota  
Gabriel 'Gabe' Morgan - Landon Liboiron  
Peter 'Pete' Sawyer - Charlie Hunnam  
Jane Louis - Vanessa Morgan

•••

I hope you guys like the second part of the story.

Please feel free to review. I want feedback.


	3. Episode Three: Bring On The Night

**Author's Note:** I am glad people are enjoying this story. Really sorry it took so long but I've had a lot of personal issues that I don't want to bore you guys with but I'm back. To all the readers, thanks and feel free to leave reviews because I could use the feedback.

Also, if it seems I don't know scientific terms and that I'm flying by the seat of my pants, I am. I try to do research to appear to know what I'm writing. I hope that doesn't hurt the reading experience for anyone.

**Disclaimer: **As I've said before, I don't own anything that wasn't created by me. That includes any characters, places or items created by Dan Schneider and the team of Schneider's Bakery. Also I'm going to be using a piece of dialogue from the Zack Snyder directed 2013 Superman film 'Man of Steel' so I give credit to Snyder and David S Goyer for that. For those who have seen the movie, you'll know which line I'm talking about.

Another piece I dialogue I'll be borrowing is from Marvel's Agents of SHIELD from the Pilot so I give credit to dialogue genius/master storyteller and the show's creator Joss Whedon. If you saw the show (I'm thinking most of ya did), you'll know which line of dialogue I'm talking about.

That all said, onward to Episode Three!

•••

"I'm waking up, I feel it in my bones  
Enough to make my systems blow  
Welcome to the new age, to the new age  
Welcome to the new age, to the new age"

- Imagine Dragons "Radioactive"

•••

Cassie pulls her car into the street her apartment was with Freddie riding in the passenger's side and Gabe riding in the back. They had been held up by traffic and it took them an hour to get there. "I could've made it faster on foot." Freddie stated impatiently.

"And how could we possibly explain you going all Wally West to the other people waiting in traffic?" Cassie replied.

"He can't go THAT fast... Steve Rogers fast maybe." Gabe stated.

"Are we talking Captain America or the Six Million Dollar Man?" Cassie asked.

"Does Freddie look like we rebuilt him 'cause we had the technology?" Gabe joked.

Cassie shakes her head as she rounds the corner and see a police barricade blocking off her street. "Oh no." She uttered.

The boys look around and see police tape around Luzoni's. Cassie parks her car but Freddie gets out before she stops completely. "Benson, wait!" Gabe called out.

"Go after him, make sure he doesn't do anything impulsive." Cassie called out. Gabe does so as Cassie looks around. She finds Pete Sawyer standing behind the other side of the police barricade. "Pete!"

Pete looks up and is glad to see her. "Cassie!"

She walks over to him. "Do you know what happened?"

"Not much. When I got here, an ambulance took Mr Luzoni to the hospital." Pete told her.

"How is he?" She asked.

"I didn't get a chance to ask?" Pete asked as Gabe and Freddie run over to Cassie.

"The police aren't telling us anything." Freddie stated.

"I think they know about as much as we do." Gabe replied.

Pete points at Freddie "Is this Freddie?"

"Yeah, it is." Cassie said as she makes the proper introductions. "Pete, this my nephew Fredward Benson and his roommate Gabriel Morgan. Freddie, Gabe, this is my friend Pete Sawyer."

"Good to meet you both." Pete said. "Wish we were meeting under better circumstances."

As he said this, the coroner wheels out a body bag on a gurney.

Freddie looks past the barricade and sees Detective Victor Flores coming out of Luzoni's with Millie's Pearphone that was inside a plastic evidence bag. He looks very quite upset as he turns and finds Freddie on the other side of the police barricade. Victor strides forward towards Freddie and the others with a look of resolve of his face.

"Please tell me you're here to tell me you know where my daughter is?" Victor asked.

"Actually I'm here because I was hoping that Millie was safe with you and this all was a bad dream." Freddie said frankly. "Do you know who did this?"

"I don't think you're in any position to be asking questions, son." Victor said bitterly.

"Millie is my friend. I don't care about how you feel about me. What do care about what happens to her so don't tell me I am in no position to ask question regarding MY friend!" Freddie replied with strong conviction in his voice. Cassie and Gabe watch this with concern that Freddie will lose control of his powers in front the small crowd of people. "Was Emil Dahl responsible for this?"

Victor stares back at Freddie, seeing the fire in his eyes. "We believe Dahl may be behind this attack. What wants with my daughter I'm not entirely sure."

Freddie nods. "Is there anything I could do to help?"

"There is. When was the last time you saw my daughter?" Victor asked.

"Over an hour ago, Cassie had taken us out for dinner and I dropped her off at the entrance of the subway." Freddie explained. "She called me almost a half an hour and told me she got attacked on the subway... by Dahl. She told me she had gotten away but-"

"Dahl got to her afterwards." Victor said calmly. "Thank you for the information."

"If there's anything else we can do to help, name it." Cassie told him.

"That won't be necessary. Thank you." Victor said, giving Freddie a quick look of contempt which Freddie saw.

"You can't just have us sit back and do nothing." Freddie stated. "Maybe we could-"

"The only thing you all are going to do is let the NYPD handle this and YOU are going to stay as far away this as possible. Understand?" He replied with forceful authority.

Freddie glares at Victor. "Yeah, I got it."

Victor walks back to the crime scene as Freddie stares at the ground and kicks a piece of broken cement then walks back to Cassie's car.

Cassie walks over to Freddie and places her gentle hand on his shoulder. "Freddie?"

"Just take me back to the dorm." Freddie said not looking at her.

"Sweetie, I-" Cassie began.

Freddie looks back at her but strangely there weren't tears in his eyes, there is a glowing electric blue energy sparking from them. Almost like literal fire in his eyes.

"Please." Freddie pleaded with her.

Cassie turns to Gabe who was seeing this too. More importantly, so was Pete who oddly didn't even flinch at the sight of this.

•••

Millie began to come to as she looked around to get her bearings. She sees she is in a dank and dingy makeshift laboratory where the sound of dripping water can be heard. She goes to get up and leave but find herself handcuffed to a metal pole attached to the wall.

"Help me!" Millie screamed. "HELP ME!"

"Scream all you want, Millicent." A grainy metallic sounding voice called from the shadows. "Won't do you any good. You can scream until your lungs bleed but not a soul in the world is going to hear you."

The figure steps out of the shadows. It was Professor Emil Dahl. In name only. He barely resembled a man - his human skin in his forearms looked as if it had been peeling away and replacing it was a metallic hide. The patches of metal on his skin had become bigger with the majority of the skin on his being the same metal skin peeling away his human skin. The hair on his head was falling away in patches as were portions of his scalp with the metal skin gleaming through.

Millie stares in horror at the sight of this and whimpers in terror. "Please- please don't kill me."

"Oh no. No, no, no." Dahl reassured her, getting close to her face, causing Millie to let out a small yelp. "You're no good to me dead."

"What do you mean?" Millie asked.

"Did you know my favorite hobby is fishing?" He told her. "Well when I fish, I always prefer using live bait."

"Bait?" she asked until she realized who he referred to. "To lure Freddie?"

"Who says you aren't clever?" He asked.

"Why? He didn't do anything to you!" Millie yelled.

"My dear, this isn't about vengeance." Dahl told her. "It's purely for science. This is a hypothesis but I'm assuming what has happened to me is happening to Mr Benson, am I right?"

"Sort of. He's more pleasant to look at than you are." Millie said snidely.

Dahl quickly grabs her by the neck and squeezes tightly. "You'd better hold your tongue, little girl. You remaining alive isn't a mandate, merely a formality."

Millie gasps for air and Dahl lets go of her throat. She coughs and breathes in deeply as Dahl continues talking.

"As I was saying, I believe your friend has become something like myself. Something beyond human." Dahl stated. "I also theorize that Mr Benson is a man of honor and won't rest until he comes to rescue you. Frankly, I'm counting on it."

He pulls back a plastic blue tarp off a large object to reveal a surgical table with restraints on it and a electrical measurement device.

"When he's distracted with you, I'll beat him until he's unconscious. I'll strap him to that table and see what makes him... tick. And once I'm done with both of you, I'll dispose of the two of you... violently."

"I thought you weren't after revenge." Millie replied.

"Well, that'll just be nice little bonus, won't it?" Dahl told her.

Millie gulps, she saw the look in his eyes. He wasn't joking.

•••

Freddie sat on edge of his bed, staring at the wall. He wasn't sure what he should be doing. All he could think about was Millie and the nightmare she was going through.

At that moment, a sickening thought hit him at there was a possibility that Dahl already killed Millie. A knot formed in his stomach at the terrible theory that had fallen upon him.

While Freddie remained in pensive thought, Gabe walks into the dorm and shuts the door behind him. He sits on his own bed and remained quiet for a moment until he spoke up. "Are you okay?"

"Honestly getting sick of people asking me that." Freddie said not looking at Gabe.

There was another moment of silence until Gabe broke it again. "It wasn't your fault."

"Did you see the look on Detective Flores' face?" Freddie asked.

"Yeah." Gabe replied.

"Then you know that's not true." Freddie scoffs.

"The guy is worried about his daughter. We all are." Gabe told his roommate. "There was no way you could've known this was going to happen."

"You probably could have." Freddie replied as Gabe looks confused. "You're like the Superhero Encyclopedia, you obviously saw this coming, right?"

"And I've learned a thing or two from reading comics." Gabe told him. "One of them being that with great power comes... a ton of weird crap you are not prepared to deal with."

Freddie cracks a smile. "So that's your 'veiled' attempt to at making me feel better?"

"Did it work?" Gabe asked.

Freddie stares at him and said "Kinda."

"I'm scared too." Gabe replied. "Before all that stuff that happened between our parents, Millie was the closest thing I ever had to a best friend. She could've cared less that my trust fund was seven figures. I want her back as badly as you do."

"It's just- I have all this power literally coursing through me and I've never felt so powerless." Freddie explained. "I'm totally clueless about what to do."

"You think Peter Parker knew what to do when he got his powers?" Gabe replied.

"No, it took his uncle DYING for him to realize it." Freddie joked as Gabe gave him a look.

"Don't joke about that. That wound still cuts deep, man." Gabe quips as Feeddie laughs but stops when his eyes furrow. "What?"

"You're getting an e-mail." Freddie stated when Gabe's phone chimes.

Gabe grabs his phone and reads the screen. He looks up at Freddie and says "That's seriously getting creepy."

Freddie laughs as Gabe began to read the e-mail. "Who's it from?"

"You mean you don't know?" Gabe asked as he began to look at the message.

"The IP address is too encrypted. Could be just spam." Freddie said.

"It's not spam." Gabe said darkly as he read the e-mail. He looks up at him. "You already know what it says, don't you?"

"Yeah, I was really hoping it was a joke." Freddie sighs.

Gabe looks back the e-mail which reads:

"You want the girl, come get her."

The two friends look back at each other and Freddie balls his fists which are sparking with electrical energy.

•••

Cassie stood by the window of her apartment, looking across the street from Luzoni's which was still surrounded by police tape. She still couldn't believe this happened right across the street from her home. To people she knows.

"So..." Pete's voice breaking her train of thought. Cassie turns around to face Pete who was sitting on her couch. "I came to your apartment like you asked me to. You said you would explain to me what happened out there."

Cassie looks down at the floor. "It's kind of hard to explain."

"Humor me." Pete replied frankly. "You going to tell me why Freddie's eyes were glowing like that?"

Cassie sighs "You want the truth or a long winded wined up as I desperately try to come up with a believable version of the truth?"

"I prefer the truth if you don't mind." Pete stated.

Cassie looks seriously at Pete. "I need to know if I can trust you. I mean REALLY trust you. That what I tell you stays with you and never leaves you. Can. I. Trust. You?"

Pete stares back at Cassie and nods. "You have my word."

"Hope he doesn't hate me for this." Cassie bites her lip and looks at him. "You remember the accident that put Freddie in the hospital?"

"Got struck by lightning, right?" He asked.

"Yeah." Cassie replied as she breathes a deep sigh. "Somehow... Someway, that accident did something to him. Changed him."

"What are you saying?" Pete uttered with an amused smile. "You saying your nephew gained special powers from that lightning strike?"

"Yeah." Cassie stated with grim calm which caused Pete's grin to fade.

"You're serious?" He stated as she sat next to him on the couch. "Is he okay?"

"Physically he is. Mentally? I'm not too sure." Cassie said. "I've spent the last three days training him. Teaching him how to harness this newfound power. Showing him that he has the strength to overcome what it is he's going to be facing."

"What do you think he's going to face?" Pete asked.

"Even I don't know but what I do know is that it's not going to be pretty." Cassie replied.

"Does it have to do with that girl that got kidnapped?" Pete asked.

"Millie." Cassie said. "Her name is Millie. She's become a good friend of Freddie's and was there when he got his powers. Which is probably the reason she was kidnapped."

Pete let all this sink in as Cassie stares at him. She wasn't sure what he might say or do until he lets out a deep breath and said something that astounded her. "You're gonna need some help."

Cassie looks at him flabbergasted. "Is this you offering?"

Pete simply said. "It is."

Cassie cracks a small smile until her Pearphone rings. She checks the caller ID and looks back at Pete. "It's Freddie. I have to take this."

"Go ahead." He reassures her.

Cassie gets up off the couch and answers "Hey, what's up? Wait, wait, slow down. What happened?" After a pause, she spoke up as her face blanched. "Oh. Oh no. I'll meet you guys down there. Don't tell him anything until I get there. Okay, see you in a bit."

She hangs up as Pete gets up as well. "What's going on?"

"Gabe got an e-mail from Millie's kidnapper. He and Freddie are headed to Victor's precinct now." Cassie replied.

"Let's go." Pete said as he tosses Cassie her jacket and puts on his own. She stares at him incredulously. "I told you I want to help. This sorta constitutes that."

Cassie nods as she put on her jacket. "Looks like it's gonna be a long night. Hope you don't get sick of me."

Pete chuckles as they head out of her apartment.

•••

Freddie paces outside the building of Victor's precinct as Gabe watches him pace until he's had enough. "Benson?" Freddie stops and turns to Gabe. "You keep that up and you're going to end up wearing a path into the sidewalk."

"Right, sorry." Freddie said but regretted saying that last word. "Millie told me to stop doing that."

"Doing what?" Gabe asked.

"Saying 'sorry', she told me that before she got on the subway." Freddie replied. "I feel like I've been saying that word so much that the word has lost all meaning. I just hope that wasn't her last request."

"We're gonna get her back, man. I know it." Gabe told him.

Freddie hears a car pull up and sees Cassie and Pete get out of her car. "What's this?"

"You guys remember Pete, right?" Cassie said nervously.

"Yeah, what's he doing here?" Freddie asked.

"I'm here to help." Pete told him.

Freddie looks at him then at Cassie who tries to avert his gaze. "Just a sec." He grabs Cassie by the arm and pulls her a little further from Gabe and Pete who stare at each other perplexed.

"So..." Gabe began as Pete gave him an uncomfortable gaze.

"Okay, what is your damage?" Cassie asked confused.

"Don't change the subject. What is he doing here?" Freddie asked frustrated.

"Pete is here to help." Cassie replied.

"Why would he- You told him, didn't you?" Freddie asked his at in a hushed tone.

"I had to. He saw your eyes glowing, what did you want me to tell him?" Cassie replied.

"So it took you all but four days to reveal my secret to a random stranger?" He asked frantically.

"No, not random. Pete's a friend." She said.

Freddie shakes his head and realizes. "You have a thing for him, don't you? And don't say you don't because the look on your face SO transparent."

Cassie sucks in air. "And if I do, what does that have to do with anything? He's a good guy, we can trust him."

"Come on!" Freddie stated.

"Okay, don't believe me but fact of the matter is that I told him and he believed me." She retorts. "He could've easily ran out of the room and called the men in white to take me away because I needed to be committed. He didn't, he offered to help. Least we can do is give him the benefit of a doubt."

"No, you can do that." Freddie told her. "What I will be doing is keeping an eye on him and if he does turn out to be a not such an upstanding guy, I'll have the right to tell you I told you so."

"You do that then." Cassie replied.

"I will." He said.

"Good." Cassie stated.

"Fine!" Freddie yelled.

Freddie stomps into the building with Cassie in tow as Gabe and Pete look at each other.

"What just happened?" Pete asked.

"Not sure but all I can say is Welcome to the Team, Petey." Gabe replied as they follow Freddie and Cassie inside.

•••

The four walk into the precinct where the find Victor Flores sitting at his desk as he's about to leave for the night.

Freddie and Cassie turn to Gabe and Pete. "You guys stay here while we go talk to Detective Flores." Freddie said to them.

Gabe nods as Pete looks at Cassie who motions for him to do as Freddie instructed. The relatives walk towards Victor who was putting on his coat.

"Detective, we have some information we need to show you." Freddie told him.

"Can it wait til morning?" Victor asked in a tired voice.

"Do you want to find your daughter?" Cassie asked.

"Yes but I have stretched every avenue to find her." Victor replied. "Unless you have the holy grail of clues, I'm calling it a night."

"Gabe got an e-mail from-" Freddie began.

"An e-mail? You expect me to put all my hopes in finding my daughter on an e-mail?" Victor asked incredulously.

"Vic, I've found out people with less." Cassie replied.

"I'm a police detective, not a discount gumshoe who uses her skills to find out if some celebutante's husband is having an affair with the dog walker." He said in an insulting manner. "You're not going to convince me that the two of you and the rest of the Scooby gang are going to have what I need to find my daughter?"

Cassie glares at him. "If I didn't already have a wrap sheet, I wouldn't have a problem dropping you right here and now!"

Freddie stares at his aunt "You have a criminal record?"

"Let's just say I have spent some time in juvie but that's a story for another day." Cassie replied. "Vic, let us help you find Millie."

"Cassandra, I'm already skating on extremely thin ice in this department for unrelated infractions. I can't go around chasing dead ends with a reformed juvenile offender, her dangerous nephew and the less than trustworthy company they keep." Victor stated as he looks over at Gabe then stares at Cassie. "You take this clue and use your investigative skills you have to find solid evidence so I can find Millie but don't drag me into this until then. Do I make myself clear?"

Cassie glares at him and with gritted teeth says "Crystal."

She and Freddie allow Victor to pass between them and he leaves. Gabe and Pete walk over to them.

"I take it it didn't go well." Pete replied.

"Nope." Freddie replied.

"Now what?" Gabe asked.

"We're going to use that e-mail and find Millie ourselves." Cassie stated.

"By going above the law?" Pete asked.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" Gabe questioned.

"We offered to help Detective Flores... twice." Freddie stated as they also walked out of the building as well. "Think it's time we do things our way."

"And that means?" Gabe asked.

"Tonight we use that e-mail to track down Dahl." Freddie said. "Tomorrow night, we get Millie back."

•••

Millie was alone in the lab, try to see if there was a way she could escape. She hears the sound of a train but she couldn't make out if the makeshift laboratory was underground in the subway tunnels or near a train yard.

She pulls on the handcuffs tightly to see if she could use all the strength she could muster to break them. It was a dumb idea but as they say 'desperate times call for desperate measures'. As she tried pulling on the handcuffs, the pipe she was handcuffed to began to budge. The pipe was old and rusted, it's condition was weak which could prove fruitful in a chance to escape.

Millie's hopes were dashed as she hears the sound of approaching footsteps. She sits back down where she was while Emil Dahl returns with a convenience store bag filled with supplies.

"Did you miss me?" He replied in a voice that chilled Millie to her core.

"What kept you?" She asked, feigning interest.

"I needed some supplies." He said as he pulls out something from the bag and he tosses it at Millie. "I brought you nourishment."

Millie saw that it was a can of Wahoo Punch and a pack of Fat Cakes. "Why do you care if I'm hungry or thirsty?" She asked as she grabs the food and drink.

"Well I can't let you starve to death or dehydrate before Mr Benson arrives." Dahl replied. "After I get what I want, I could care less what happens to either of you."

Millie took a drink and asked. "Am I free to ask questions?"

"That all depends, what do you wish to know?" Dahl said as he began working on his devices.

"What happened to you?" Millie asked. "I'm not talking about the accident on the roof. We all know what happened there. I'm talking about why are you SO obsessed with your experiments?"

There was a moment where Dahl stopped what he was doing. "What do you want to do, Millicent?"

"You answer my question with a question?" Millie asked as she chewed a bit of Fat Cake.

"I am a scientist." He told her. "What do you aspire to be?"

Millie stares at him. "I wanna be a nurse. I wanna help people."

"I want to help people as well." He replied. "I want to figure out how the world works. How the universe works, why things are the way they are and what I can do to change that."

"How does murdering people factor into this?" She inquired.

"Well as they say, you can't make an omelet without cracking a few skulls." He replied. "Or something to that affect."

"Do you have a family?" Millie asked taking another sip. "Parents? Siblings? Wife? Kids?"

Dahl stares back at her. "Is this you stalling?"

"No, I'm trying to understand what makes you go from a man of science to... Well, a monster." She replied.

He stares back at her. "My parents died when I was very young, no siblings. I was adopted by an Austrian genetics professor and his long suffering wife Eva. The only person who truly loved me. I had a wife named Katya, and a son, Ivan. She left me because I was too busy with my work and took Ivan with her. Do you understand now?"

Millie remained quiet as Dahl continued his work. She did feel a small amount of pity for him but she still hoped that Freddie kicks his metallic butt.

•••

Back at the dorm, Gabe sat on a desk in front of his Pearbook while Freddie lay on his bed. He uses the palm of his left hand to rub his forehead as if he had a headache.

Gabe looks at Freddie and said "I'd ask if you were okay but I have a feeling you'd probably throttle me."

Freddie smirks at his roommate as he dozes off. A familiar voice wakes him "Not the best time to be taking a nap, Freduardo."

He looks up and sees Sam sitting next to him, wearing the clothes she wore the night of the lock-in. The night she kissed him the second time. Or third, never did figured out that whole 'Melanie' fiasco. A small smile forms but quickly fades.

"You aren't real." Freddie said simply. "This is all in my head."

"Yeah, it's not like I'm some all-knowing mystical entity stalking you in your dreams or anything." Dream Sam replied.

"At this point, I'd even buy that explanation." He stated.

A grin appears on Dream Sam's face but it fades as she bluntly tells him. "You're not gonna beat him. Not with brute force alone."

Freddie sits up and looks at her. "How am I going to beat him? Am I going to be able to beat him?"

"Can't tell you that. I'd be ruining the surprise." Dream Sam told him. "Wanna know the deal? You gotta use that egghead brain of yours plus your superpowers to beat him."

"Got any pointers?" Freddie asked.

Dream Sam simply said "Crush him like soda can."

Freddie states back at her confused as he hears another voice.

"Benson? Benson, wake up."

Freddie looks up and sees Gabe still on the computer. He sits up and rubs his eyes. "What's up? You find something?"

"Oh yeah." Gabe told him as Freddie quickly gets up off the bed.

"What'd you find?" Freddie asked.

"You told me that the IP address was encrypted." Gabe said.

"Yeah, it was hard to pinpoint an exact location." Freddie replied.

"Because the e-mail was sent using a signal router that any novice hacker could use to mask their location. It uses multiple hot spots within a ten mile radius." Gabe explained.

"That narrows it down." Freddie said sarcastically. "That gives Dahl a lot of ground to cover. Even with my hacking skills, no way that I could pinpoint an exact location."

"Well lucky for you that your roommate is the King of the Hackers, well Crown Prince." Gabe gloated. "I was able to triangulate the signal and narrow down a few possible locations from a ten mile radius to two."

Freddie states at the computer screen. "Gotcha ya."

•••

The next morning, Cassie and Pete were in front of a tunnel in an old train yard. Cassie wore her tan leather jacket, a tight black top, black jeans and brown cowboy boots. Pete was wearing a black long sleeved T-shirt, dark blue jeans and black work boots. Each of them had a flashlight in their hands.

"Is this the last location?" Pete asked.

"Yeah, Freddie told me to call him if we found anything." Cassie said as they examine the tunnel entrance. "I feel like we're not going to find anything and I don't know how he's going to take the news."

"You giving up already?" Pete joked as Cassie turns towards him.

"No way, I'm not giving up until we find her. If that means chasing a few windmills in order to find our dragon, so be it." Cassie stated as she hold up a flashlight.

"So that would make me your Sancho Panza, wouldn't it?" Pete retorts as he pulls out his flashlight.

Cassie smiles as they enter the tunnel entrance. They shine their flashlights in the darkened tunnel as their footsteps echo inside. "If I were a deranged homicidal scientist, where would I hide?" Cassie uttered as they round a corner. Pete looks down then quickly grabs Cassie and they land on their backs. "What are you do-"

Pete points his light at where Cassie was about to go and shows her the tripwire she was about to snap. "Ever heard the phrase 'look before you leap'?"

"Don't rub it in." She quips as he helps her to her feet. "Thanks."

"Anytime." He said as Cassie pulls a small knife strapped to her boot. She cuts the wire and safely defuses the trap - four nail guns fire multiple shots of nails in the space Cassie was about to step in.

After the trap finishes firing, Pete said "I'm thinking that Dahl is here."

"Him or a band of homeless guys." Cassie said as they look around.

The two of them try to go further down the tunnel when they are ambushed by four disheveled looking homeless men. They were each holding makeshift weapons - two by fours with nails hammered into them, metal pipes and one even had a hammer in his hands.

Pete looks at Cassie "You know it's your fault for saying that?"

"What are you people doing in here?" The ringleader asked, he was the one holding the hammer.

"We're looking for someone." Cassie told the men.

"Well ya found someone, sweet cheeks!" The homeless man holding a pipe said.

"We don't want any trouble." Pete told them.

"Should've thought about that before you invaded our space." One of the other homeless men said, who was holding the two by four.

They attack Cassie and Pete who tried their best to disarm their attackers without seriously injuring them. They easily dispatch the two holding the pipes but the man holding the two by four tries striking Pete with his weapon but Pete knocks the weapon out of his hand and tackles him to the ground.

The ringleader goes to bash Pete's head with the hammer but Cassie grabs him and delivers a hard right hook across his jaw. He stumbles and tries to hit Cassie with his hammer but she counters this by throwing her knife at him which lands in his arm. He reels back in pain and Cassie tackles him and quickly yanks the knife out of his shoulder then holds it to his throat.

"That's enough!" Cassie told him as the ringleader gasps in pain. "We didn't come for a fight. We're just looking for a friend."

The first two Cassie and Pete took down slowly get to their feet. They go to attack Cassie but the ringleader spoke up. "No! These ones are harmless."

The homeless men stop as Pete helps the homeless man he tackled to his feet.

"Harmless? She put a knife in your arm." One of his friends said as Cassie got off the ringleader and he gets to his feet.

"I've taken worse, Jess." The ringleader replied. "She could've thrown it somewhere much worse if she wanted to really hurt me."

Jesse, the one Pete tussled with, nods in agreement.

"You handled yourself pretty good, girlie. I'm Walt, this my crew - Jesse, Yoyo, Ed and Badger." The ringleader introduced.

"I'm Cassie, this is my friend Pete." Cassie said as Pete went over to stand next to Cassie.

"You said you're looking for a friend?" Walt replied.

"Yes. We think she got taken down here against her will." Cassie stated.

"We didn't take nobody!" Yoyo shouts.

"We weren't saying that it was any of you." Pete said. "He's tall, might be wearing a hood or a lab coat."

The last part caught the men's attention. "Got metal arms and metal patches on his face?" Jesse described.

Cassie's eyes widen "You've seen him?"

"Oh yeah." Jesse said.

"This tunnel used to full of people like us. Most just seeking shelter." Walt told them. "A few days ago, that man came through. Scared off the ones were lucky enough to escape with their lives. Me and my men stayed behind in hopes we could chase him out of here ourselves. Back when there was nine of us."

"Did you see him with a girl? Average height, long black hair?" Cassie asked.

"I did." Badger said. "Last night I saw him drag that girl down here. She was real pretty, looked like my sister." A look of sadness fell on Badger's face.

"That's our friend Millie." Cassie said with a look of relief. "Was she okay?"

"Scared out her mind but she seemed fine." Badger replied.

"We need to get that freak out of here before he kills anymore of my people." Walt replied.

"Don't worry, we'll get him out of here." Cassie reassured. "Disarm all your booby traps and get out of the tunnel before sundown. We'll make sure he won't hurt anyone else again. I can guarantee you that you'll have your home back by sunrise tomorrow morning."

Walt nods in understanding. "You heard the lady, that's an order."

The men head deep into the tunnel as Cassie and Pete go to leave.

"Hey!" Jesse's voice called which cause Cassie and Pete to turn. "What are you guys? Cops?"

Cassie shakes her head. "Nope."

"We're the good guys." Pete stated which causes Cassie to stare at him quickly and they made their way out of the tunnel.

•••

Freddie and Gabe were walking to their next class when Freddie stops. Gabe looks at him. "Cassie calling you?" Gabe already knew Freddie's powers were working in full force when Freddie's phone rings.

Freddie smirks as he answers his phone. "Cassie, what's up?"

"Our fact-finding mission paid off." Cassie told him.

"You found her?" Freddie asked as Gabe became excited.

"Not exactly but it's an extremely strong lead. Pete and I took quite a beating in order to get it." Cassie told him. "What's next?"

"Go back to your apartment, we'll go there after classes are finished. Have get some stuff first." Freddie stated.

"You sure you want to do this?" Cassie asked.

"Five thousand percent sure." Freddie replied.

"Percentages don't go that high. Thought you were smarter than that." Cassie joked.

"Just go home." Freddie said an annoyed tone as he hung up.

"They find Millie?" Gabe asked.

"Not exactly but it's a strong lead." Freddie replied. "We're getting her back tonight."

"Getting who back?"

Freddie and Gabe turn around and find Jane Louis walking up to them.

"Jane, hey." Freddie greeted her.

"I feel like you're avoiding me." Jane said.

"I've just had a lot of stuff I'm dealing with." Freddie told her.

"I know." Jane replied. "I heard about what happened to your friend Millie. Have you heard any news?"

"Nothing yet." Gabe said.

"But you said you were getting her back." Jane questioned.

"Um well, what I meant was-" Freddie began.

"He meant that the police might have found something that could help find her." Gabe said. "Benson's just being cautiously optimistic. Isn't that right, Freddie?"

Freddie stares at his friend with amazement. "Yeah."

"All right. While you're waiting to hear any news, why don't you and I go somewhere. You still owe me a date, you know." Jane said.

"I-I do, it's just I have plans. I have to help my aunt fix her lap top. She isn't very good with computer hardware." Freddie told her.

Jane sighs. "Starting to make a girl feel like you aren't interested."

"It's really important. If it weren't, I'd cancel and hang out with you." Freddie replied nervously.

Jane smiles. "That's sweet but I actually already had plans. I just wanted to see if you MIGHT be free."

Freddie grins. "So you were going to toy with me?"

Jane grins "Like a cat with a mouse. You've been giving me the run around for the past few days. I figured turnabout was fair game."

"That seems fair." Freddie said with a smile.

Gabe walks over to him. "We gotta get to class, man."

"Guess I've better get going." Freddie began.

"You're starting to become quite elusive, Mr Benson." She jokes. "But sooner or later, I'm gonna catch ya."

"Looking forward to it." Freddie said as she walks away.

Gabe smiles as he pats Freddie on the back. "And you say I'M the ladies man. That was smooth."

"Speaking of smooth, nice save there." Freddie replied.

"Well, somebody's gotta keep your cover straight." Gabe said. "Who else than the Superhero Encyclopedia."

Freddie laughs as they walk off.

•••

Millie watches in disgust as Dahl peeling off more of the human skin on his scalp. He hears a noise and goes to inspect it.

Millie looks up at the pipe and begins to pull on her handcuffs. With one swift pull, she gets free and runs as fast.

Dahl rushes back into the room and finds Millie is gone.

Millie ran down a narrow hallway as fast as she could but stops when she ends up in a tunnel. She hops down and tries to find the way out.

At that moment, Millie runs into someone. She screams, thinking Dahl has caught her, but it was Badger - a member of Walt's crew.

"It's okay. I'm not gonna hurt you." Badger replied to calm down a still screaming Millie. "You Millie?"

Millie calms down after hearing her name. "How did you know that?"

"Some friends of yours were here awhile ago." Badger told her. "I'll take you to my friends and we'll-"

Unexpectedly, a steel fist burst through Badger's chest and some of his blood splatters on Millie.

The fist is pulled out of the body and Badger falls into a heap in between Millie and an enraged Dahl. Millie tries to run but Dahl grabs her from the back of her neck.

"You bad, bad girl. Look what you made me do." Dahl said.

Millie yelps in pain as Dahl drags her back to the lab.

From around the corner, Walt watches the scene with a glare and rushes away.

•••

Back at Cassie's apartment, Cassie was treating a small gash on his forearm. "That Jesse guy got you good." Cassie said as she applied antiseptic spray on his wound. Pete grits his teeth as he makes a pained expression. "Sorry, did that hurt?"

"A little. Could've been worse." Pete replied. Cassie smiles as she finishes patching him up. "That Walt guy did have a point, you handled yourself pretty good."

Cassie grins "I don't like to brag... usually. I'm just a girl who can take care of herself."

"And yet here you are, playing nurse maid." Pete replied.

"Never said I didn't have a soft side." Cassie said as there was a knock at the door.

Cassie walks to the door as Pete rolls down his sleeve. She opens the door and finds Gabe standing at the door with a bag draped over his shoulder and carrying a black heavy duty briefcase in his left hand. He looks over at the pair with interest.

"Am I interrupting something?" Gabe asked as he walks inside.

"Nothing you need to concern yourself about." Cassie said as she closed the door. "Where's Freddie?"

"Back at the dorm, he had to pick up a few things." Gabe stated as he set his bag on the coffee table. "He said you guys found a lead?"

"We did, this may be the place Dahl is holding Millie." Cassie replied.

"Took quite a beating to do so." Pete replied.

Gabe sets down the briefcase next to couch and begins pulling out his equipment from his bag including a laptop and a headset.

"Tell me that you tried talking Freddie out of this." Cassie wondered.

"I don't get you." Gabe stated. "A few days ago, you were all gung-ho for training him to using his powers. Now you DON'T want him to use his powers to help get Millie back?"

"It's not that, I just don't want to see him get hurt." Cassie explained.

"This from the woman who spent those training days kicking the crap out of him." Gabe stated.

"We were sparring and honestly, I was being gentle compared to other people out there who will try to knock his block off." Cassie exclaimed. "You want him to go out there and play superhero but this isn't a work of fiction. This is the real world and people get hurt, okay? People die."

Gabe swallows hard but he stares back at her. "It's Freddie's decision. I think you should respect it."

Cassie bites her lip as Pete gives a supportive glance.

•••

Freddie was digging through his side of the closet. He grabbed long sleeved black T-shirt, a pair of black on black Chuck Taylors, a black hoodie, a dark blue bandana and some black pants.

He goes towards his bed looking under the bed for something but finds the leather bag Cassie gave him. The leather bag that belonged to his father.

Freddie had been reluctant to look inside the bag long before the accident. Guess this was the best time as any to work up the nerve. He slowly unzips the bag and looks inside where find certain strange objects - a government issue ID badge with his father's name on it, four discs with a strange symbol that resembled the number six, a photograph of an infant and a sealed envelope with a letter inside.

Freddie flips the photo over and the back of it reads 'Fredward - February 8th 1994'. He looks at the envelope which reads 'To My Son'.

A twinge of reluctance went through Freddie on whether to open it but he swallowed his pride and opens the letter. He begins to read the letter:

"Fredward,

I gather that if you are reading this, I am not in your life and I haven't been for quite some time. I don't think there is anything I could say to you that could apologize for a father abandoning his son. What I can tell you that I did this to protect you and your mother. My life is filled with danger and seen things that have broken stronger men. I could never live with myself if that life put you or anyone else I love at risk. I want to give you a better life than I had but I realized that the only way I could do that is if I left. I know that you'll become a man that will make me proud. Not because of me, but in spite of it. You just have to decide what kind of man you want be, Freddie. Whoever that man is... he's going to change the world.

You are always in my heart.

Your father,  
Leonard Sinclair Benson"

Tears formed in Freddie's eyes as he looks back at the letter. His eyes suddenly began to glow with electric blue energy. He closes his eyes and he opens them and the literal fire in his eyes had been replaced with figurative fire in his eyes.

He quickly but carefully puts the objects he found in the leather bag and placed it under the bed. He grabs what he had initially been looking for - a black duffel bag. He zips open the bag and loads the clothing he took out of the closet into the bag.

Freddie zips up the bag and he heads out the door, draping the bag strap over his shoulder. He looks back at his bed, seemingly to be looking at the letter that was in the bag. With his head held high, Freddie exits the room.

•••

Walt and his crew find the body of their friend Badger. They look sad at the loss of their friend. He motions for Ed and Yoyo to wrap Badger's body in a plastic tarp.

Jesse walks over to Walt "Think this plan will work?"

Walt nods as Ed and Yoyo made their way out of the tunnel with Jesse leading the way.

Walt stares at the pool of blood on the ground and walks away.

•••

At Cassie's apartment, Cassie waited outside of her bathroom while Pete helps Gabe set up his equipment. Pete checks the briefcase but Gabe moves it with his leg. "Those aren't for you."

"What's in there?" Pete asked.

"Toys." Pete simply said.

The door to Cassie's bathroom opens and Freddie steps out, wearing the clothing he loaded into the duffel bag. Cassie smirks at her nephew who notices.

"What?" Freddie asked.

"Trying hard to look like a ninja?" Cassie quips.

"Is this you giving me permission to do this?" Freddie asked.

"I think you were going to do this whether I let you or not." Cassie replied. "I'm not your mother, Freddie. Just the substitute parental figure who cares whether or not you live through this."

"Having your blessing would mean a lot though." Freddie told her.

Cassie smiles, touched at the sentiment "You have my blessing... But if you get killed, I'm telling."

Freddie grins as he glances at Gabe's briefcase. "What is that?"

Gabe grins mischievously. "I managed to score some gear for your mission." He opens the briefcase and reveals several different high tech gadgets inside. First he holds up a pair of what look like ordinary sunglasses. "These are the latest in state of the art military grade eye wear."

Freddie takes them from Gabe and holds them up. "Are they like night vision goggles?"

"That and they have several other functions - infared, telescopic vision, thermal and electromagnetic detection. These babies are lightweight and made for covert ops." Gabe described.

"Are those things standard issue?" Pete asked.

"Nope, they're in the prototype phase." Gabe stated. "They've been in testing for weeks."

"Why doesn't that fill me with confidence." Cassie said to Gabe.

"Oh ye of little faith." Gabe said as he pulls out another piece of tech and throws it to Freddie who catches it instinctively.

"Wicked catch." Pete replied.

"I've had practice." Freddie said looking at the device which resembles a computerized wrist watch. "This a wrist communicator?"

"Do I look like Alpha 5?" He said as Freddie snickers but Pete and Cassie miss the joke. "Never mind. That is a portable computing device that'll allow me deliver important information to you and can help relay information back to me that I can't get myself. It'll also got a powerful cryptograph program that'll allow you to hack into systems yourself in case the systems can only be accessed manually."

"Nice." Freddie said in an impressed tone as he puts on the wrist.

"And that's not all, I got one more thing." Gabe said reaching into the briefcase and pulls out a small box.

"What's that?" Pete asked as Gabe opens the box where he reveals four small earpieces.

"These are the latest in two way communication. They have built in camouflage to allow for it to remain undetected by the naked eye." Gabe explained.

"Neat... but why four?" Cassie asked.

"Well, I figured that you might also want to make contact with Freddie while he's out there." Gabe stated.

"So instead one voice in my head, I'll have two." Freddie joked.

Cassie rolls her eyes. "Where'd you get all this?"

"You can thank dear old dad. These are all courtesy of Morgan Innovations." Gabe said proudly.

Pete smirks "You stole all this?"

Gabriel smiles like a Cheshire Cat. "I borrowed them. No one is gonna miss 'em especially if the boss' son was the one who took them."

Cassie shakes her as Freddie applies the earpiece in his right ear. "Nervous?"

"I'm not worried." Freddie said in an unconvincing manner as he puts on the glasses Gabe gave him.

Gabe finishes setting up as Cassie and Pete look at him. "Everything is online and ready to go."

"Good. Freddie, I think you can-" Before Cassie could finish, the gang realizes Freddie was gone. "Freddie?"

"Where'd he go?" Pete asked.

"I decided to skip the long winded speech and jump straight into the super heroics." Freddie's voice is heard from Gabe's computer.

"A little warning next time, kiddo." Cassie replied.

"Gabe, send me the coordinates to the location." Freddie is heard saying.

"It's pretty far from here to there. Sure you can make it there on quickly on foot?" Pete asked.

"Enhanced speed should help." Freddie said. "Just hope my free running skills aren't rusty."

•••

Freddie is running down a back alley at incredibly fast speed. He was now wearing the hood over his head and the bandana to cover the bottom of his mouth.

Freddie sees a high fence in front of him and he rushes towards it. He uses his increased speed to leap up the fence and land on the top of the fence. The feat even surprises Freddie as he leaps down to the other side of the fence.

"Sweet!" Freddie enthusiastically stated. With that, Freddie runs off.

•••

Detective Victor Flores sat on his desk, sifting through the Dahl case which was troubling him. How did this mentally unbalanced man become abnormally strong? Why did he take his daughter? Did this have anything to do with the Benson boy? There were so many questions and few answers.

Suddenly his cellphone rings which he quickly answers. "Flores."

"I have information regarding your daughter's kidnapping." A distorted voice is heard on the other end.

"Who is this?" Victor asked.

"Someone who wants to help." The voice told him.

"I'm probably insane for even entertaining this but I'm desperate." Victor said. "What do you know?"

"I have the location of where your daughter is." The voice told Victor.

"If this Emil Dahl-" Victor replied gritting his teeth.

"No. I can assure you I am not Emil Dahl." The voice replied. "This a person who wants to stop him as badly as you do."

Victor was confused "Who are you?"

"Like I said, I am someone who wishes to help you." The voice said.

"Send me the location." Victor replied.

•••

Back at Cassie's apartment, Gabe was the voice talking to Victor Flores over the phone. He was using a vocal distortion software. "Once you have this location, I ask you to go there alone."

"I don't think I can do that." Victor's voice is heard asking.

Cassie and Pete listened to the conversation. Cassie more intently.

"I ask you to put your family before your job this once. It'll save your daughter's life." Gabe told Victor.

•••

"If you love your daughter, you need to go alone." Gabe's distorted voice stated.

"I'll go alone." Victor said as his phone chimes. He sees he has an encrypted e-mail which had an address on it.

"It won't be easy but you will have help." Gabe replied. "Good luck."

"Wait, what help?" Victor asked but the line went dead. He grabs his gun and his coat then heads out.

•••

Gabe looks at Cassie and Pete. "It's done. Hope we did the right thing."

Cassie stares him as she looks at Pete who placed something in his ear. She hands him something and he heads out of the apartment.

•••

At the entrance to the tunnel, Freddie walks towards the entrance. "I'm here. Guide me through this." Freddie said to Gabe through the two way earpiece. "I've got a feeling this is going to be like a winding labyrinth in there."

"Well, you're not wrong. This is an old subway tunnel but still functional in certain areas." Gabe replied. "I've dug up some blueprints for the tunnels."

"Good. Last thing I want is to run into a dead end." Freddie stated as he hears footsteps behind him. He quickly turns and holds up his hands up, ready to fight.

Walt and his crew were behind him but they raise the hands in defense. "Whoa, take it easy!" Walt shouted.

Freddie lowers his hands. He clears his throat and deepens his voice slightly. "Who are you?"

"Name's Walt. I'm assuming you're a friend of Cassie's?" Walt asked.

"I am." Freddie said as he stares at the men with an uneasy demeanor. Something about these men didn't make him feel right. "Cassie, can you vouch for these guys?"

"They're okay." Cassie is heard on the earpiece.

"You were the ones who saw the girl we're looking for." Freddie asked.

Walt simply said. "Follow us."

"Just be careful." Cassie is heard saying in Freddie's ear piece.

Freddie apprehensively follows the men into the tunnel.

•••

Walt and his crew lead Freddie inside the passages of the tunnels. Freddie looks around the tunnel, not taking his eyes off the men. "How much further?" Freddie asked.

"Just ahead." Walt replied.

"Warn me if they're leading me into a trap." Freddie said to Gabe.

"No prob." Gabe's voice said but there was some interference.

Jesse stands next to Freddie "What's the deal with the mask? Playing Superman?"

"With what I can do, can't have anyone seeing my face." Freddie states. "And for the record, Superman doesn't wear a mask."

Jesse grins as he goes to stand next to Walt.

"Freddie, you're-" Gabe's voice said but the rest was garbled.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Freddie asked.

"This way!" Walt called.

Freddie catches up with the men. He sees them staring into a darkened room. "There's no one here."

"This is the last place we saw him." Jesse told Freddie.

"Freddie, it's-" Cassie said but was cut off by static.

Freddie slowly walks into the room. He senses something is wrong but before he could do anything about it, a heavy metal door slams in shut behind him. He rushes to get it open but it was stuck.

"Don't go in there! It's a trap!" Gabe yelled as the static cleared a bit.

"Yeah, I figured that." Freddie said through gritted teeth. He stares at the men. "What are you doing?"

"Baiting a trap." Walt told him. "I reckon you're the one that psycho has been looking for. We're gonna lure the bastard here and take him out ourselves."

Freddie glares at Walt "You have no idea what you're dealing with."

"Is that a threat?" Walt asked.

"No. It's a warning. Now let me out of here or else." Freddie said spitfully. "See, THAT was a threat."

"Ooh, we're SO scared." Yoyo said sarcastically as his buddies laugh in amusement. "What are you gonna do to us, Bilbo?"

Without saying another word, Freddie put his fist through the metal door which stuns the men. He summons some lightning from his hand and shoots a mild voltage at the men who fall to the ground.

Freddie fires lightning at the hinges and the lock on door then knocks it down with one hand as the men get to their feet. "Was there more to this or was this all you had planned out?" Freddie quips.

"Get him!" Walt yelled as Jesse and Ed charge at Freddie but with a few quick left-right combination punches, he knocks Ed out and throws Jesse backwards.

Yoyo tackles Freddie to the ground but Freddie kicks him off and sends him flying hard against a wall.

Jesse gets to his feet and pulls out a switchblade.

Freddie sighs in annoyance as he simply fires a bolt of lightning at Jesse's armed hand which knocks the blade out of his hand and causes him to wail in pain. Jesse barely had time to fight back as Freddie applied a leg sweep takedown on him.

Walt sees Jesse's smoldering switchblade on the ground and picks it up as Freddie punches Jesse in the face for good measure then picks himself off the ground.

"Hey kid!" Walt yelled to get Freddie's attention. "Catch!"

Walt throws the knife but is horrified at what he sees next - Freddie catching the blade of the knife with his bare right hand.

"This was fun but I have to save my friend so..." Freddie throws the knife at Walt's face but the handle of the knife smacks Walt hard in the face. He falls to his knees and grabs his nose in pain as Freddie quickly punches Walt hard in face to knock him out. "Have a good night." Freddie walks past the heap of bodies. "Can't believe you actually vouched for these guys, Cass?"

"I never said I was a great judge of character." Cassie said with her voice sounding much clearer. "You all right?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle." Freddie said as he rounds a corner. "Guys, please tell me we're not going to have anymore interference. Electrical or otherwise."

"You're good to go, Benson." Gabe said. "I'm picking a high electromagnetic pulse frequency within the tunnel."

"Sure you're not picking up my own EMP frequency?" Freddie asked as he looks around the passageways of the tunnels.

"I've been able to distinguish your EMP frequency from Dahl's. His is erratic while yours is more structured." Gabe explained. "I can try to pinpoint his exact location within the tunnel system but it'll be tough though."

"Basically we're playing a game of hot or cold." Cassie joked.

"All right, let's play." Freddie replied.

•••

Detective Victor Flores enters the tunnel, armed with his service gun and a flashlight.

He points his light around the tunnel as he hears a noise behind him. He points his gun at the noise only to realize it was only a rat scurrying off.

"I REALLY like it here." He said in a sardonic manner.

He continues walking forward.

•••

Walt and his crew still lay on the ground as a figure walks over to Walt who looks up with wide eyes. "N-no. It can't end like this!"

Jesse comes to and watches the scene. He sees the horrific figure of Emil Dahl standing over Walt. He debates whether to help and goes to try to help.

Dahl raises his metallic hand "You value your life, you walk away."

Jesse looks back at Walt and after a moment of thought. He runs off.

"Coward!" Walt screams. He tries to get up but Dahl holds him down with a gravitational force as Ed and Yoyo try to get up but they are also held downward well. Walt stares up a Dahl. "I hope that g-guy takes you down."

•••

Freddie continues walking down the tunnel "Am I going the right way?"

"Hold up. There's a huge spike in gravitational energy." Gabe stated.

"Dahl?" Freddie asked.

"More than likely." Gabe said.

"From where?" Freddie asked.

There was a pause until Gabe said "Back where you came."

Suddenly there was loud screaming echoing through the tunnel.

Freddie ran back towards the screaming.

•••

Victor hears the screaming as well and ran towards it.

Victor was the first to reach the area and finds the mangled bodies of the homeless men. He points his flashlight and finds Dahl who was digging through Walt's bloody and dismembered torso. Dahl looks up at Victor who was frightened and disgusted by the visage of Dahl.

Victor raises his gun but Dahl pins him against the wall. He uses gravity to cause Victor to point the gun at his own head.

Just as the gun was about to fire, Freddie rushes to the scene and shoots a bolt of lightning at Dahl which causes him to lose focus and drop Victor on the ground.

Dahl stares at Freddie, even concealed under all the dark clothing he still knew it was him. Freddie stared back at the man who was no longer a man. "Catch me if you can." Dahl runs off.

Freddie goes to chase after him but stops as he stares at Victor who is stunned at what he just witnessed. Without saying anything, Freddie takes off after Dahl.

•••

Dahl runs down some passageways and rushes back into the lab where an unconscious Millie lay strapped to the gurney with sensors taped to her head. She begins to slowly come to and realizes what was going on. She tries screaming but Dahl covers her mouth.

"Shhh! Your knight in shining armor is here to save you." Dahl said as Millie's eyes read a mixture of terror and hope. "Now you can scream."

•••

Freddie rushes down the tunnel, trying to find Dahl. "Am I going the right way?"

"Yeah, just keep going straight." Gabe told him.

"Now I know how Theseus felt." Freddie muttered under his breath.

"I'm thinking this is gonna be tougher than slaying a Minotaur." Gabe joked.

"Or cutting the head off a Gorgon." Cassie replied.

"That's Perseus." Gabe replied.

"Thought it be a better fit." Cassie stated. "Seeing as how Perseus was the son of Zeus-"

The chatter was interrupted by a high pitched bloodcurdling scream.

"Millie!" Freddie yelled.

Freddie ran faster but he realized that this was playing out like his dream where he ended up with a broken leg. He thought back to what the dream version of Sam Puckett told him.

"You're not gonna beat him. Not with brute force alone." Her voice echoed in his head. "You gotta use that egghead brain of yours."

Freddie stops, turns and goes the opposite direction.

"Benson, what are you doing?" Gabe shouted "You're going the wrong way!"

"No, just using my egghead brain." Freddie said as he ran. "I'm taking the long way."

•••

"Help!" Millie yelled although she was being forced to yell this. "Freddie, I'm over here! Help me!"

Dahl was standing next next to the entrance, anticipating Freddie's arrival. After a few moments, Millie stopped screaming.

"Keep screaming!" Dahl demanded. "I'll fry your brain if you don't!"

"Freddie's not stupid. He knows this is a trap." Millie replied.

"He's still human and humans make mistakes." Dahl stated still waiting for Freddie to run in.

All of a sudden, the wall on left of Dahl burst open and the force of the blast knocks him off his feet. Millie had shut her eyes to avoid any debris from the wall getting in her eyes. When the dust settles. Millie looks up and sees Freddie removes the bandana from his face. She smiles as he rushes over to her and begins to untie her.

"Are you okay?" Freddie asked.

Millie nods as she looks behind her and screams. "Freddie, watch out!"

Freddie quickly looks up and sees Dahl charging at him but Freddie dodges his attack and punches him in the stomach. The attack has no effect on Dahl who grabs and throws him against a wall.

Millie looks terrified but realizes that Freddie had loosened the straps. She begins to free herself as she watches her friend fight her captor.

Freddie got to his feet as his hands spark with electrical energy.

A sinister smile appears on Dahl's face "Glad that my hypothesis was correct. You are like me."

"I'm nothing like you!" Freddie spat.

"Is that so?" Dahl replied and swirls of gravitonic energy emit from his hands. "Why won't you admit that we have left humanity behind. I have embraced it proudly." He throws the energy at Freddie who barely deflects the blast and sends it at a wall, making a hole. "Impressive."

Freddie grits his teeth and unleashes a powerful bolt of lightning at Dahl that knocks him off his feet. "You've got no idea."

Millie manages to get free and removes the sensors from her head. She stares at Freddie "Is he dead?" Dahl begins to stir and she looks petrified. "I'll take that as a 'no'."

"Get out of here." Freddie told her.

"I can't. He'll kill you." Millie replied.

"Staying won't have any other outcome but getting you killed." Freddie stares apprehensively at Millie as he hands her his earpiece. "Gabe is on the other end. He'll lead you out. Your dad's here. Go find him and get out of here."

"But-" Millie began.

"GO!" Freddie yelled.

Millie nods and she runs out of the lab. Dahl sees her leaving and looks at Freddie with devilish glee. "Thought she'd never leave." He fires a surge of energy at Freddie which knocks him backwards. "Now I get to have you all to myself."

Freddie stares back at Dahl. He gets to his feet and his hands glow with electric energy.

Freddie charges at Dahl and punches him hard in the face but rears back in pain. The punch had little affect on Dahl who punches him in the face and sends him crashing on the table full of lab equipment and causes his high tech glasses to fall off his face.

"Is that all you got, boy?" Dahl asked in an arrogant manner.

Freddie looks back at Dahl. Blood began to drip from a deep gash just a bit below his hair line and a small trickle of blood came from the corner of his mouth. He wipes the blood from his mouth and gets to his feet.

"I'm just getting warmed up." Freddie said confidently with a tinge of pain in his voice. Playtime's over.

•••

Millie runs down a tunnel. "Gabe, can you hear me?"

"Millie?" Gabe answered. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me." Millie replied.

Gabe lets out a sigh of relief "I have never been so happy to hear your voice, Mills."

"Aw, didn't think you'd care." She said with a sarcastic tone.

"Way to kill the mood, Mills." Gabe joked.

"Where's Freddie?" Cassie is heard saying.

"Cassie?" Millie asked.

"Is he with you?" Cassie asked with concern in her voice.

Millie didn't know what to tell her but she hand to say it "He stayed behind to fight Dahl." She could hear the fear in Cassie sigh. "He told me you guys could lead me out of here."

"You're dad is there." Cassie said.

"Did he come with Freddie?" Millie asked as she continued walking.

"No, we sent him over there. He doesn't know we were the ones who sent him though." Cassie told her. "We'll explain all this later. Right now, we need to get you guys out of there in one piece."

Millie rounds the corner and sees her dad leaning on a wall. He was still recovering from Dahl's gravity attack. "Dad? Dad!"

Victor looks up and sees a sight he never thought he'd see - his daughter. "Millie!"

Millie runs over to him and checks if he had any injuries. "Are you okay?"

"I think he just knocked the wind out of me." Victor said as he touches his daughter's face gently. "I never thought I'd see you again."

Millie's eyes well up and she hugs him. He groans in pain. "Oh. Sorry." She begins to help him to his feet. "Let's get out of here."

"Just follow my directions, Millie." Gabe told her through the earpiece. "I'll lead out of here."

•••

Back in the lab, Freddie lays face down on the ground. His exposed hands were raw, cut up and bloody.

Everything that wasn't nailed down was either scattered around the room or was in pieces. The most of the florescent lights in the room flicker as one of the lights hangs down from the ceiling, hanging on by the thread but the wire snaps and falls down.

Freddie manages to roll out of the way with lightning fast reflexes. He breathes heavily as he tries to get to his feet but falls down on his left knee and catches himself with his right arm to keep from falling down.

Freddie slowly got to his feet, his body racked with sheer agony. He grabs his ribs with his left arm and lets out a few deep breaths. He may have cracked some ribs or maybe even collapsed a lung.

Dahl stands a few feet away from Freddie. He laughed maniacally in a low tone in his voice that sounded completely off.

"Are you ready to give up?" Dahl asked. "Or do you wish to continue this foolish and pointless experiment at chivalry?"

Freddie lifted his head high. Defiantly refusing to give up without uttering a single word.

"Why are you so eager to die, Mr Benson?" Dahl asked with peaked curiosity.

"If I have to die in order to stop you, that's the price I have to pay." Freddie said as he held back the pain in his voice.

"Admirable words... Coming from a dead man." Dahl said. He holds out his hands and waves of magnetic energy swirl around him. "It's a shame, you could've been my scientific breakthrough. Now you'll have to settle for being a smear on the wall."

Freddie watched as Dahl prepared for Dahl to fire his attack as the conversation with the dream version of Sam played back in his head.

"Got any pointers?"

"Crush him like soda can."

He looks around and sees the crushed can of Wahoo Punch Millie had been drinking and an idea pops into his head.

Dahl fires his attack only to have Freddie use electrical energy to deflect the gravity attack. The two super powered individuals stood evenly matched as the energy from their attacks didn't give way.

Freddie then began to push the energy with all the strength he had to push back Dahl's energy. Dahl did his best to push back at the energy only to have Freddie push harder. Now most of the energy was now engulfing Dahl as his metallic skin began to sink into his flesh muscle tissue and he was bleeding dark brown blood from the cracks in his skin. He screams in agony as rest of his metal skin cracked and had become bent like it was being crushed by a compactor.

With one last heave, Freddie let loose a powerful bolt of lightning into Dahl which sent the already doomed scientist through a wall.

After a moment, Freddie breathes deeply as if trying to catch his breath. He slowly walks towards Dahl but he falls to his knees due to being weakened by pain. He gasps in pain as he realizes that Dahl wasn't moving, not breathing. Dahl was dead.

A part of Freddie was relieved that this monster couldn't hurt anyone else but there was a small part of him that hoped it wouldn't end like this. That he could've found another way but he had chosen not to.

Freddie saw the high tech glasses he had been given near him. There wasn't a scratch on them. He grabs them and slowly gets to his feet then limps out of the battle worn makeshift laboratory.

•••

The energy from this released a electromagnetic pulse through New York City. Most of the city was affected by the pulse - even the lights in Time Square flickered for a brief moment.

It also affected Cassie's neighborhood as she and Gabe sat in the dark.

"What happened?" Cassie asked.

"Don't know. Some kind of power surge?" Gabe asked as he tried to get his equipment back on.

"What could've-" Cassie began until she realized what might've happened. "You don't think Freddie could've done this, do you?"

Gabe looks back at her as the power started coming back and his equipment began to turn on. "I'm not sure of anything anymore."

Cassie stares at him as she looks at her cellphone. "Lucky my phone still works. Try to get the com links back online. I'll try using my phone." Gabe nods as he goes to work. She taps on the screen and makes a call. "Pick up the phone, Pete."

•••

Millie and her dad exited out of the entrance to the tunnel with Millie helping her dad out. "How did you manage to get free?"

Millie faked looking puzzled "What do you mean?"

Victor looks at his daughter "How you get away from Dahl?"

"I don't know. It all happened so fast." Millie replied.

"You saw him too, didn't you?" Victor asked. "That masked man in the hood?"

Millie didn't know what to say until she came clean. "I did. H-he saved my life."

Victor sighs "Yeah, me too."

Millie gives him a small smile "Come on, I'm taking you to a hospital." She loads him into his car and places him into the passenger side as she shuts the door. She looks out back at the tunnel, hoping to see Freddie was okay but she didn't see him. "Freddie, please, PLEASE be okay."

•••

Pete was driving in Cassie's car, close to the train yard. All of a sudden, his cellphone rings and he answers. "Cassie?"

"Thank god you finally picked up." Cassie stated. "Where are you?"

"About five miles from the train yard. I would've gotten there sooner but there was this power outage awhile ago. Slowed down New York traffic from a slow grind to a screeching halt." Pete explained. "The radio said it was some kind of power surge. It happen to you guys too?"

"Yeah, reason why the com links went dead." Cassie replied. "I think-"

"That Freddie was responsible? I figured as much." Pete stated.

"Not intentionally... I don't think." Cassie said "Just get there as quickly as you can."

"I'll do my best." Pete assured her "Granted it's not like he's going to fall out of the sky."

Suddenly, a figure jumped from above and landed in front of the car. Pete instinctively hit the brakes and sees who had jumped in front of the car - it was Freddie, bloody and bruised. The teen stares at Pete with a look of panic that switches to relief until he passes out from the strain his body had been through.

"What happened? Are you all right?" Cassie asked in an anxious sounding manner.

"I'm fine." Pete said as he quickly got out of the car and goes to check on Freddie, still holding on to the phone. "Good news is I found Freddie, or I should say that he found me."

"I'm going to guess that there's some bad news that's going to follow that." Cassie replied.

"Kid's in bad shape." Pete said grimly. "I'm need to get him to a hospital."

"No!" Cassie said adamantly.

"No?" Pete asked quizzically.

"Bring him back to my apartment as quickly as you can." Cassie ordered.

"I don't think bandaids and antiseptic are going to cut it, Cass." Pete stated. "He looks like he might have internal injuries."

"Just bring him back here. I know what to do." She said. "But don't bring him in through the front entrance. Take the back."

"Fine." Pete relents and hangs up the phone. He gently helps Freddie off the pavement and places him in the passenger side of the car. Freddie was fading in and out of consciousness, muttering Millie's name but it turns into him uttering Sam's name. "Hang in there kid, I'm going to get you some help." He closes the car door as he gets into the car and drives off like a bat out of hell.

•••

Cassie hangs up the phone as Gabe stares at her in disbelief. "What?"

"Why did you tell Pete not to take Freddie to the hospital?" He asked her quizzically.

Before she could answer, Gabe's Pearphone rings. "You should probably get that."

Gabe rolls his eyes and answers his phone. "Hello?"

"Gabe? It's me." Millie's voice said.

"Millie, hey! You're okay?" He asked as Cassie listened.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I took my dad to the hospital." She stated.

"Is he okay?" Gabe asked.

"The doctor said he's got a dislocated shoulder but I know it could've been worse if it hadn't been for Freddie." Millie said as she sighs. "Have you heard from him? Is he-"

"Yeah, Cassie's neighbor Pete found him." He said. "It's a long story."

"I wouldn't mind hearing it." She said, her voice shaking. "Could you please come here? I could really use a friend right now."

Gabe smiles "Sure thing. Just give me the address and I'll be right there as soon as I can."

Millie gave him the address as Cassie smiles at this.

•••

Half an hour later, Cassie was pacing around her apartment as she anxiously awaited Pete's arrival. Suddenly, there was manic knocking at her door. She rushes to the door and opens it as Pete brings in a severally beaten Freddie inside.

"Put him on the couch." Cassie told him as she closes the door.

Pete gingerly puts Freddie on the couch. Cassie got a good look at her nephew and she lets out a gasp. "Where's Gabe?"

"He went to the hospital to be with Millie." Cassie replied.

"Is she all right?" He asked.

"She's fine, all thing considered. Her dad was injured by Dahl but he's gonna be fine." Cassie told him.

Pete looks back at Freddie "I still think I should've taken him to the hospital. He looks like he's been through hell."

"Which is what I was afraid of. But don't worry, I got this." Cassie said as she sits on the coffee table next to Freddie. "Promise me that what you're about to see won't freak out."

Pete nods and watches as Cassie places her hands over Freddie's chest. His eyes widen as her hands glows with a pale blue light. Cassie breathes deeply as Freddie's wounds began to heal.

All of a sudden, Freddie snaps awake and he breathes in deeply. He looks at his surroundings "Wh-what happened?" He looks down and sees her glowing hands as the glow fades. "How did you-"

"Let's just say you aren't the only one with tricks up their sleeves." Cassie said.

Freddie stares back at them with a bit of a smile. He looks at his hands that were still stained with his blood but the wounds had healed.

•••

Millie was leaning on a wall in the waiting room, waiting for her father.

Millie also anxiously waited for Gabe to hear any news he had on Freddie. She owed him everything for saving her from that mad scientist. Gabe said that they found him but she had no idea if he was hurt or worse.

She hears approaching footsteps and looks up to see Gabe standing next to her. "Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes."

Millie lets out a sigh "Shut up, okay." She hugs him tenderly, saying sweetly. "Just shut up."

Gabe hugs her back, he was happy to his good friend. Alive and well. They share a quiet moment of comfort when Millie pulls away and stares at him.

"How's Freddie? You told me they found him. Is he all right?" Millie asked.

"Yeah, I just heard from Pete. He told me that he's gonna be okay." Gabe said to Millie.

Millie breathes a sigh of relief. "Freddie saved my life. I owe him a debt I can never repay."

"Trust me, Benson isn't the type of guy who is going to be looking to collect." Gabe said with a smile.

Millie grins. "So this Pete guy is Cassie's neighbor?"

"Yeah, he's seems like an okay guy." He said. "He knows." Millie looks taken aback. "Cassie told him."

"Wow, the guy must be smoking hot." She replied mischievously.

"And what makes you draw that conclusion?" Gabe asked.

"Because only a guy with chiseled good looks could break Cassie's vow of silence." Millie determined.

Gabe grins "No comment."

"I'll take that as a yes." Millie said with a smile.

Gabe beams brightly. "Nice to see you didn't lose your spirit." Millie lets out a small laugh. He looks seriously at her. "I'm really glad you're safe. I don't know what I would've done if something had happened to you."

Millie began to tear up and she hugs him again. From around a corner, Victor Flores enters the waiting area and sees Millie hugging Gabe. Victor stares at this intensely, he didn't like this one bit.

•••

Freddie sat on the couch, holding the high tech glasses in his hands. Cassie and Pete stood in the room as they had listened to something important. "It took all the strength I had to do it. I just- I didn't want to be the one to kill him. I knew I was the only one who could stop him. I just didn't want want to be the one to kill him. Sounds stupid, I know."

Cassie sighs "Sounds like you knew that if you did it that there'd be no going back."

Freddie sat in silence and let out a deep sigh.

"I know it seems pointless to ask this after the fact but why did you feel it was your responsibility to stop him?" Pete asked.

"Because I created him. I helped him with that Tesla coil that created that energy storm and I was the one who pushed him into that energy field. All me." Freddie explained.

"But you weren't responsible for everything Dahl did. He did all those horrible things under his own volition." Cassie stated.

"She's right. We reap what we sow, kid." Pete said in agreement.

"I'm just glad it's over." Cassie stated as she sees Freddie's face and bears a look of anxiety. "It is over, right? Freddie?"

Pete senses the tension building in the room. "I'll let the two of you talk. See you in the morning, Cassie?"

Cassie turns to him and nods as Pete exits the apartment. "You aren't seriously entertaining the idea of becoming a superhero!"

"No." He said nervously but looks down. "Maybe. I don't know."

"Have you forgotten already what happened? You almost got yourself killed, Freddie!" Cassie stated.

"Well if I get hurt, I'll just have you giving me your healing touch and I'll be good as new." Freddie said sarcastically. Cassie stares at him. "Why didn't you tell me you had powers too?"

Cassie lets out a deep sigh. "It's not exactly information I let slip."

"You mean how you let my secret slip?" Freddie asked.

"Do not change the subject, Fredward!" Cassie snapped. "I promised your mother I'd keep you safe. I'm not going to send you back to her in a box!"

Freddie saw the look of fear and rage on her face. "I'm sorry. I love you but I'm sorry."

Cassie saw the sincerity in his demeanor and relaxed her shoulder are the tension between them died down. "So you really want to do this?"

Freddie nods "I do."

"Why?" She asked.

"Because I want to make a difference." Freddie said frankly.

Cassie walks towards him and takes his hand. "Okay, I'll support you in whatever you do but I'm not always going to be there to be your personal safety net."

Freddie smiles as he hugs her. She smiles as he speaks. "Tell me, someone come back from that? You know, after killing someone?"

Cassie pulls away and looks into his eyes with a warm smile. "Only someone with great strength and tenacity can come back from this. Tonight you've proven you have that. I'm just not talking about physical strength but the strength of your heart. You've had that strength inside you all along."

Freddie smiles brightly. "I just don't know where to go from here? What should my next step be?"

"Well, for starters, what you want to be called?" Cassie asked.

Freddie stares at his aunt, biting his lip. He had some idea.

•••

Pete was inside his apartment. It looked liked Cassie only it had little to no furniture. He was sitting on a chair in front of a table in the kitchen when his Pear phone rings. He checks the caller ID and lets out a deep sigh. He then answers the phone.

"Yeah?" Pete said sounding aggravated as he listens to the voice on the other end. "Don't worry, the kid's alive. He even took down the guy I told you about." He listens to the voice speak. "I don't think he had much of a choice. It was either him or that murdering psychopath." Again he listens as he rubs the bridge of his nose. "He feels bad about it too. I don't blame 'em. Remember my first." And he listens to the voice speak again. "Don't worry about a thing. I'll make sure the kid stays off their radar." He listens to the voice once more. "Cassie too. I know, she's... something special. I'll keep you posted. I promise I'll keep 'em safe. Have a good night."

Pete hangs up the phone. He seems guilty about something as he sets the phone down on the table.

•••

Cast

Fredward 'Freddie Benson - Nathan Kress  
Cassandra 'Cassie' Sinclair - Melissa Archer  
Millicent 'Millie' Flores - Ashley Argota  
Gabriel 'Gabe' Morgan - Landon Liboiron  
Peter 'Pete' Sawyer - Charlie Hunnam  
Jane Louis - Vanessa Morgan

•••

And that's episode three, hope that everyone enjoyed it.

Now I need a little but of help. Tell me what kind of superhero mannerisms should Freddie adopt as his alter ego? Should he be stoic and badass like Batman? Quippy and talkative like Spider-Man? Badass and troubled like Oliver Queen on Arrow? Should I blend some of those traits together? I've got some ideas but I just want an opinion on that.

Also, with Professor Dahl dead, who should be Freddie's arch nemesis be? What do you expect to see in Freddie's rogue's gallery? I've got some idea but again I want feedback from my readers.


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